In the late 1960s, the student protest movement reached its peak in Japan, and a number of remarkable books were published during this period. 10.21 towa nanika is particularly valuable as a social and historical record because the students themselves created it. The title 10.21 towa nanika refers to the nationwide rally on 21 October 1968 to mark International Anti-War Day. The demonstrations were highly coordinated and took place in over 500 locations in nearly 50 cities throughout Japan. It includes photographs taken by students at these events and others during various student movement activities throughout 1967-68. The students who contributed photographs were mostly amateurs and did not have access to the appropriate equipment or film. In addition to this, the pictures were often taken at night and under challenging circumstances. Consequently, the images are mostly out of focus and grainy, prompting comparisons, which some have argued are coincidental, with the photography of the Provoke movement. Provoke founder Takuma Nakahira was heavily involved in the student protest movement, so whether or not there was any influence on the style of photography, there was undoubtedly an ideological link.

First edition; 8vo (210 x 150 mm, 8¼ x 6 in); black-and-white photographs printed in offset; photo-illustrated wrappers, printed in red and black, fine; [96]pp.

Japanese Photobooks of the 1960s and '70s pp144–9; The Photobook: A History III, p59; For a New World to Come 353; Provoke: Between Protest and Performance pp102–109; The Japanese Photobook 199.