Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation

September 2020PEACE
CULTURE

vol.1 No.84 (semiannual)

visited the areas affected by the atomic bombs inNovember last year: “To remember, to journey together,to protect. These are three moral imperatives”; andSadako Ogata, who worked passionately for refugees as
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, who spoke ofher own experience saying “The important thing is tosave the lives of those who are suffering. No country canlive in peace alone. The world is connected.” The Mayor
stated that these words indicate that we should unite
against threats to humanity, to ensure that we do not repeat the tragedies of the past.
Mayor Matsui also said that the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Treaty on theProhibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) are both critical for the elimination of nuclear weapons. He said that
although they form a framework that should definitely
be continued in the next generation, their future is unclear. He asked that the leaders of the world visit
Hiroshima, to gain a deep understanding of the actual
damage from the atomic bombing. He asked that, at the
NPT Review Conference to be held next year, they devote all their efforts and fulfill their duty to negotiate ingood faith for nuclear disarmament, while continuing
constructive dialogue, to build a security regime that is
not dependent on nuclear weapons.

Peace Memorial Ceremony Marking 75 Years Since the Atomic
Bombing―Although it was said that “nothing will grow in
Hiroshima for 75 years” because of the atomic
bombing, Hiroshima today has achieved recovery
and become a city that symbolizes peace and attracts many visitors from all over the world―

On August 6, 2020, the 75th year since the atomic bombing, the Peace Memorial Ceremony organized by theCity of Hiroshima was held in the city’s Peace Memorial
Park. Approximately eight hundred participants, including hibakusha, bereaved families and guests, prayed forthe souls of those who lost their lives and for perpetualworld peace.
To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, preventative measures were taken for the ceremony thisyear, including the placing of visitors’ seats two metersapart, no non-reserved seats, and the expansion of thearea where entry is restricted for a set period of time including before and after the ceremony, to prevent crowding.
The ceremony started at 8am. First, Hiroshima
Mayor Kazumi Matsui and two representatives of the
bereaved families dedicated two volumes of the Registerof the Names of the Fallen Atomic Bomb Victims, containing the names of the 4,943 people who passed awayover the past year, to the shrine in the Memorial
Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims. This brings thetotal number of names recorded in the Register to324,129 people, in 119 volumes.
This was followed by an address by Mr. Haruo
Yamada, Chairperson of the Hiroshima City Council,
and a dedication of flowers by various representatives.
At 8:15am, the time that the bomb was dropped, Mr.
Toshinobu Matsuki, the representative of the bereaved
families, and Minami Takemiya, the children’s representative, rang the Peace Bell, and all participants observeda minute of silent prayer.
Mayor Matsui then read out the Peace Declaration.
In the Declaration, the Mayor said that humanity is now
facing the new threat of the novel coronavirus, but that
we should be able to overcome this threat using what wehave learned from the past tragedies. The Mayor gave
the examples of the 1918 flu pandemic that occurred a
century ago and the two World Wars to state that civic
society must not resort to self-centered nationalism but
must work in solidarity to face this threat. Mayor Matsui
then quoted: a hibakusha who was thirteen years old at
the time of the bombing, who said “Fighting happens
when people think only of themselves or their own
countries”; the Pope’s powerful message from when he

Mayor Matsui reading out the Peace Declaration

The Mayor also made a strong appeal to the Japanese
government. He asked that it heeds the sincere wish of
the hibakusha that it signs and ratifies the TPNW and becomes a party to the treaty. He also asked that, as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attacks in war, thegovernment calls for solidarity among the people of theworld to share the Spirit of Hiroshima. Furthermore, hedemanded enhanced support measures for the hibakusha,
whose average age is now over 83, and the many others
whose daily lives are beset by suffering from the radiation that has impacted them both physically and emotionally. He also demanded that the government makethe political decision to expand the “black rain areas”.
After the Peace Declaration, the children’s representatives Shunsuke Omori and Natsumi Nagakura read out
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the Commitment to Peace. They said that their normallife was taken from them by the threat of the novel coronavirus, and made them realize that they should not taketheir daily life for granted. They said that this experience made them think about daily life for citizens at thetime, taken from them by one atomic bomb on August 6,
1945. They said “We will continue to hold in our hearts
the kindness to recognize the value in others. We willbuild a peaceful future where we consider the feelingsof others and live joyfully in peace. We, raised in theatomic bombed city of Hiroshima, will bring hope to the
future; the same hope that was passed to us by those
who refused to give up in the wake of the bombing.”
In the speeches that followed, Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe said that in the current tough security environment
and with the disparity in the stance of nation-states towards nuclear disarmament, it is necessary to remove
distrust through mutual engagement and dialogue, andcontinue with efforts to build a common foundation. He
also said that in this year that marks the 50th anniversaryof the entry into force of the NPT, for the treaty to continue to play a role in supporting the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, it will be
important to ensure that next year’s NPT Review
Conference produces fruitful results. The Prime Minister
also stated that the Japanese government will continue
to make a proactive contribution, by lobbying theworld’s nations to continue with united initiatives andutilizing the results of discussions on nuclear disarmament by the Group of Eminent Persons for Substantive
Advancement of Nuclear Disarmament.
At the ceremony this year, video messages from seventeen people were projected on a large screen. They included messages from heads of state and national
representatives, heads of local governments, secretariesgeneral of international organizations and others.
In his message, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations
Secretary-General, indicated his awareness of the toughcurrent international situation regarding the abolition of
nuclear weapons, and repeatedly called for UN member
states to return to the common vision and the path thatwill lead to the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.
He stated that now is the time for nuclear weapons states
to participate in dialogue, confidence-building measures,the reduction of nuclear power, and the utmost restraint.
The secretary-general also said that at next year’s NPT
Review Conference there will be an opportunity for signatories to return to the shared vision, and he expressedthat he is looking forward to the entry into force of the
TPNW, as a further pillar of the disarmament regime.
He also said that young people have proved their power
many times, working together with civic society for thecause of disarmament. He said that we should listen to
the ideas of young people and ensure that they have aforum to make their voices heard.
Participating in the ceremony were representativesof bereaved families from 26 prefectures, as well as ambassadors and representatives from 83 states including
the European Union (EU) and the nuclear weapon statesof America, the United Kingdom, France and Russia.
The ceremony was live-streamed online. The fulltexts of the Peace Declaration and the Commitment to
Peace that were read out at the ceremony are available
on the City of Hiroshima homepage. The Peace
Declaration is also available in 9 other languages(Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Korean,
Portuguese, Russian and Spanish).
(General Affairs Division)

Marking 75 years since theatomic bombing―Aims of thisFoundation

by Kazumi Matsui
President, Hiroshima Peace
Culture Foundation
Seventy-five years ago, a single atomic bomb instantaneously turned the city of Hiroshima into ruins, and took
the precious lives of many. Today, the city has achieveda remarkable recovery, and its citizens are able to live
full lives. At the same time, there are many hibakusha
who even today are still suffering, from the aftereffectsof radiation and other issues. They continue their pleathat “No one else should ever suffer as we have” as they
pass on their experiences and their message of peace tothe younger generations. The average age of the hibakusha is now over 83, and the question of how to pass ontheir atomic bombing experience is becoming a serious
issue.

Efforts to pass on the atomic bombing experience
For this reason, this Foundation is working together
with the City of Hiroshima and implementing various
initiatives to pass on the message of the hibakusha to thenext generations.
At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, there
are displays of not only possessions but also photographs of the deceased and letters written by their bereaved families, to encourage visitors to the museum tothink about the suffering and sorrow of the hibakusha
and bereaved families as individuals. The museum also
shows displays of the damage caused by radiation, todemonstrate the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.
Additionally, A-Bomb Legacy Successors have been
trained to pass on the experience of the hibakusha andtheir wishes for peace, and to communicate these to future generations in place of the hibakusha. They conduct
their activities not only in Japan but are also dispatchedoverseas. The museum is also working together with theHiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic
Bomb Victims to record atomic bomb testimonial videosof the hibakusha talking about their experiences, and tocollect atomic bombing written testimonials.
We will continue to enhance virtual activities likethis as we pursue our activities to ensure that the next
generation of young people also understand the messageof the hibakusha.
Aiming for the abolition of nuclear weapons
with the consensus of civic societyWith the rise of nationalism throughout the world today, there is heightened tension between nations arisingfrom actions based on exclusivism and confrontational
thought. The international situation concerning nuclear
weapons is thus extremely unstable and unpredictable.
Currently, the world’s nuclear weapon states possess approximately 13,000 nuclear weapons. There is a risk thatsuch weapons could be used in unintentional accidents
or terrorist acts, and we can only say that the situation isfar from the appeals of the hibakusha and other citizens.
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To break with the current dependence on nuclear deterrence by states, and reset the course towards nuclear disarmament, it is necessary for national leaders to create
an environment that enables courageous policy shifts,
namely to form common values for civic society.
This Foundation aims to spread pacifism and promote international mutual understanding and cooperation, and to contribute to the promotion of world peacefrom the perspective of all of humanity. Mayors for
Peace, of which I am the President and which thisFoundation serves as secretariat, is based on the sharedvalues (the true wish) of civic society to ensure a safe
and secure life for their citizens. It is a bipartisan organization made up of the heads of local governments thathave as their mission to fulfill that wish, and it shares its
philosophy with this Foundation. Using the network ofMayors of Peace, which now has over 7,900 member
cities from 164 countries and regions, we are holding
activities to form a consensus among the global civic
community that a world without nuclear weapons is thepeaceful world that humankind should aim for in the future. We do this by communicating the reality of theatomic bombing and thus increasing the number of people who empathize with the wishes of the hibakusha.
This consensus of civic society will become the key forcreating an environment that will enable national leaders
to take major steps toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
said “The only real way to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons is to eliminate nuclear weapons.” We will
strengthen our connections with the United Nations,which shares our aspirations, and work towards further
enhancing the Mayors for Peace activities.

I ask for your ongoing understanding and support forthis Foundation’s activities.
(July 2020)

75 th year since the atomic bombing―this Foundation organizes activities in various fields
This year, the 75th year since the atomic bombing, theHiroshima Peace Culture Foundation is organizing various activities based on the three main pillars of passing
on the atomic bombing experience, promoting peace,and promoting international exchange and cooperation.
The first area is activities for passing on the atomic
bombing experience. Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum communicates the reality of the atomic bombing using actual artifacts such as articles owned by
A-bomb survivors, photos of the damage from thebombing, and pictures of the bombing drawn by citizens. This year, the museum had to be closed for aroundthree months to prevent the spread of the COVID-19,
but even during the closure, the museum implemented
online communication activities including explanationsof the museum displays with commentary videos by the
curator, the release of videos on the website of hibakusha talking about their experience to school students on
excursions, the holding of study sessions connectingwith overseas participants using an online conference
system, and more. On June 1, the museum was reopened, taking countermeasures to avoid infection
through closed spaces and close contact. This year
marks the 65th year since the establishment of the museum, and a special exhibition is under way that looks
back over the history of the museum to date.
There is also a Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb
Exhibition on display in Hawaii, United States for the
first time, and in this way, we will communicate the reality of the bombing and the wishes of Hiroshima in awide range of areas.
At the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for
the Atomic Bomb Victims, the GLOBAL NETWORK
website has atomic bombing testimonials in Japaneseand 27 other languages, to further deepen understandingof the reality of the damage from the bombing among
foreigners, by having them read the testimonials in theirmother tongue.
Next is activities for the promotion of peace. Mayors
for Peace, which has its secretariat in this Foundation,
has implemented various activities to date with the wishof achieving the abolition of nuclear weapons while thehibakusha are still alive. In particular, as this year is the
final year of the 2020 Vision, the general conference wasplanned to be held. However, with the spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the conference has been postponed, now aiming for August of next year.
Even under such circumstances, we want to sharewith as many people as possible the wish of the hibakusha for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and for thisreason, this summer, the 75th since the bombing, Mayors
for Peace was organized various initiatives under thecore concept of “No more Hiroshima! No more
Nagasaki!”. We have posted video messages from
Hiroshima and Nagasaki hibakusha, executive cities ofMayors for Peace, the United Nations, national governments and NGO representatives, and held an online
seminar for young people in Japan and overseas. By

Building a peaceful society by promoting international
exchange and developing a culture of peace
The world is now struggling with the COVID-19
pandemic, whose impact is being felt in international exchange and cooperation activities with restrictions on international travel. However, I believe that deepening ourmutual understanding of each other’s religion and culture is the first step toward creating a peaceful world,
and that developing a culture of peace among people becomes a solid foundation for a peaceful society. To doso, this Foundation is focused on international exchange,mutual cooperation and multicultural coexistence, and at
the same time aims to work proactively on the promotion of international exchange activities and heightening
citizens’ awareness of the importance of international
peace by providing day-to-day living consultation andinformation for foreign residents.

Foreign participants enjoying ikebana flower arrangement at the Japan culture experience section during International Festa 20193

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September 2020

bomb survivors (hibakusha) and visitors to the museum.
The Gathering began with a speech by Takashi
Koizumi, Chairperson of this Foundation, followed bylive television coverage of the Nagasaki Peace Memorial
Ceremony. At 11:02am, the time that the atomic bomb
exploded over Nagasaki city, all attendees observed aminute of silent prayer.
Next was a speech by Kunihiko Sakuma, chairperson of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of
A-Bomb Sufferers’ Organizations. The Gathering ended
with a picture-story show conveying the experience ofNagasaki hibakusha Sumiteru Taniguchi.

Mayor Matsui gives the deputy mayor of Hiroshima’s sister city Hanover (Germany) paper cranes folded by high school students in
Aichi Prefecture (November 11, 2019)

calling for Mayors for Peace member cities to organize
initiatives under this core concept, we hope to broaden
the circle of empathy so that our wish for the abolitionof nuclear weapons can be shared with people throughout the world.
We are also implementing various other activities toheighten awareness of the importance of peace among
younger generations, including displaying peace messages sent in by children at Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Park on August 6, initiatives to pass on the baton ofpeace to future generations, and others.
Finally, this Foundation is also working towards thefurther promotion of international exchange activities
and heightening citizens’ international awareness. In thisarea, our activities include the International Festa, where
foreign and Japanese citizens have fun learning about
each other’s cultures and are given opportunities todeepen their understanding of international exchange
and cooperation and multicultural coexistence; exchange
activities with Hiroshima city’s sister cities and friendship cities; and the operation of the International
Exchange Lounge, where we provide information and aplace for Japanese and non-Japanese people to interact
with each other.
To promote the creation of a city of multicultural coexistence, we will implement initiatives such as the operation of a daily life consultation service forinternational residents, Japanese language classes to provide support for non-Japanese residents to improve their
Japanese skills, and activities to promote understandingof Japanese customs and culture.
(General Affairs Division)

Performance of a picture-story show conveying the experience of aNagasaki hibakusha(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)

On the 50th anniversary of the NPT
coming into force
Mayors for Peace issues a joint appeal
With the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons) Review Conference that was planned
to be held from April to May this year at the United
Nations headquarters in New York City was postponed.
In light of this situation, Mayors for Peace (President:
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui) issued a joint appeal
to all signatories of the NPT and relevant UN members
on April 27, which would have been the first day of theoriginally planned conference. The addressees of the appeal were asked to effectively use the time until the conference will be held to ensure that the agreement
document is ultimately finalized by the Review
Conference to be held after the postponement, and to
hold sincere and constructive dialogue to make progresson nuclear disarmament.

Memorial Gathering for
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Victims

Expression of agreement with the Joint Statementfrom Civic SocietyNGOs and other organizations from around theworld created a Joint Statement from Civic Society calling for all national governments to make progress on nuclear disarmament, and sent it to signatory nations on
May 11 of this year, the date that marks 25 years fromthe day that it was decided to indefinitely extend thetreaty. Mayors for Peace agreed with the aims of thejoint statement, and added its name to the list of organizations in agreement.
(Mayors for Peace and 2020 Vision Promotion Division)

Every year on August 9, the date that the atomic bomb
was dropped on Nagasaki, this Foundation holds theMemorial Gathering for Nagasaki Atomic Bomb
Victims. This gathering has been held since 2003, withthe aim of expressing condolences from Hiroshima forthose who lost their lives in the atomic bombing ofNagasaki, and to renew our vow for peace.
The Memorial Gathering this year was held in a conference room on Floor B1 of the East Building of theHiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. There were approximately fifty people in attendance, including atomic
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URL: http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/jp/whatsnew/
news/200701_news.html(Mayors for Peace and 2020 Vision Promotion Division)

Initiative to mark 75 years since the atomic
bombing“No more Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki!”
Release of video message
This year, 75 years since the atomic bombing,Mayors for Peace created a video message entitled “No
more Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki!”, and released it
online on July 20. Created with the support of twentythree people, including hibakusha and mayors ofHiroshima and Nagasaki, and representatives of theUnited Nations, national governments, NGOs andMayors for Peace executive cities, the aim of the video
was to share the wish for the abolition of nuclear weapons with the people of the world.
The aim of the initiative is to expand global opinion
supporting the abolition of nuclear weapons by utilizing
the Mayors for Peace network of member cities and related organizations to distribute the video message to awide audience.
To date, the video has been shown to state ambassadors and others who visited Hiroshima City to attend thePeace Memorial Ceremony on August 6, and it was also
shown by a Mayors for Peace Executive Adviser at“#Stillhere: 75 Years of Shared Nuclear Legacy”, an online event held in the United States on August 6 and 9 topromote the abolition of nuclear weapons.
The video message may be viewed on: https://youtu.
be/DOO4IIrZ7Ow

Change of exhibits in the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Museum
The exhibits in the Museum’s permanent exhibition are
regularly changed, to prevent deterioration resulting
from display and to preserve the items over a long period of time. From June 1, 2020, four clothes exhibits
from the Black Rain, Conditions in Relief Stations, andDamage from Radiation sections were changed.
On display at the Conditions in Relief Stations section are the monpe jacket and dress worn by Setsuko
Ogawa (21 years old at the time of the bombing) when
the bomb hit. Setsuko suffered burns on her face andback, and was taken to Ninoshima Island where there
was a temporary field hospital. Her mother Ritsu nursed
her devotedly, but Setsuko passed away on August 11.
Ritsu had been keeping these clothes carefully in a package with a note: “Please place these in Ritsu’s coffin.”
The exhibition sections mentioned above will bechanged regularly once a year.
(Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division)

Peace education webinar held
On August 4, a peace education webinar (online
seminar) entitled “No more Hiroshima! No more
Nagasaki! Future Leaders of Peace Activism” was heldby Mayors for Peace member cities. The aim of the webinar was to pass on the desire for peace to the next generation of young people and encourage them toproactively take action.
Participants in the webinar first listened to a talk by
an expert on the current international situation regarding
nuclear weapons. This was followed by presentations by
young people active in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well
as young people from five cities that previously participated in Mayors for Peace Youth Exchange for Peace:support program for “HIROSHIMA and PEACE”. The
presentations described the wishes for peace and peace
activities underway in each respective city. Each presentation was followed by a question and answer session
and discussion with members of the audience, who camefrom seventeen cities in ten countries.
The webinar was live-streamed online and seen by
many people. A video of the webinar is available on the
Mayors for Peace website below, to encourage young
people to actively participate in peace activities.

The dress that Setsuko Ogawa was wearing when the bomb hit(Donated by Ritsu Ogawa)

New Arrivals Exhibition
Date
Venue

: June, 2020 – March 2021 (tentative): Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum East
Building B1, Special Exhibition RoomContents : 132 atomic bombing artifacts and other articles donated in 2018

Efforts are made at the Peace Memorial Museum to collect and store atomic bombing artifacts that were heldby atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) and their bereaved families, as these are precious materials that
communicate the reality of the damage from the bombing. At the New Arrivals Exhibition, some of the 613
items that were newly donated by 70 people in 2018 areon display.
Seventy-five years have passed since the end of thePeace education webinar

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The exhibition is popular and well-received.

trying to show the building in a scene, Otsuya muslin
store that is in front of it should also appear in the scene,
but I could not obtain any photos of that store. The only
way I could recreate it was to ask many people about it.”
(Katabuchi)
Otsuya was depicted using more than ten studies, but
in the new film it has been re-drawn based on materials
that were found after the release of the first film. That
process is shown in the exhibition.
To express gratitude to visitors to the exhibition who
cooperate in measures to prevent the spread of the
COVID-19, the sign of Suzu at the exhibition venue also wears a mask.
(Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division)“Calligraphy, a remembrance of an elder brother who
died in the bombing at the age of 17.”
(Donated by Ikuko Kobayashi)

war, and it is becoming more and more difficult to collect atomic bombing artifacts and detailed information
about them. To promote the abolition of nuclear weapons, the museum communicates to future generations
the various types of damage inflicted by the bomb. We
appreciate your cooperation in donating atomic bombing
artifacts to the museum.

Special Exhibition Commemorating the 75th Year of
the Bombing:History of the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Museum Part 1: Building
the Foundation【Inquiries regarding donations of atomic
bombing artifacts】
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division
Phone: +81-82-241-4004―Footsteps of the First Director, Shogo Nagaoka
Date: July 22, 2020－February 23, 2021
Venue: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum East Building
1F, Special Exhibition Room＊The museum is closed on December 30 and 31.

Library Exhibition: In This Corner (andOther Corners) of the World―Suzu in
Hiroshima

In August 2020, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
marked its 65th anniversary. Since opening, the Museum
has displayed artifacts that retain the scars of the atomic
bombing and communicate the reality of the damage inflicted by the bombing. The basis of the exhibition were
the articles collected by one person, when he entered thecity immediately after the bombing and gathered them.
The name of that person is Shogo Nagaoka, who was
the first director of the museum. Mr. Nagaoka not only
collected materials, but also conducted surveys and research on the bombing, and spent his life working to illuminate the truth of the damage from the bombing.
In this exhibition, we trace the footsteps of Mr.
Nagaoka based on materials donated to the museum byhis family over recent years. This provides an explanation of the leadup to the opening of the museum andwhat the museum was like when first opened.
Mr. Nagaoka built the foundations of the museumwith a powerful wish: that the tragedy of the atomic
bombing must never be repeated. Through this exhibition, we hope that visitors can come face-to-face withhis passion and hard work, and fully appreciate the importance of continuing to communicate the reality of theatomic bombing.

This exhibition is being held in the East Building B1 of
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, from June 1 to theend of October (planned).
The animated film In This Corner of the World, set
in Hiroshima and Kure, was released in November 2016,
and was seen by over 2.1 million people. A new versionof the film, In This Corner (and Other Corners) of theWorld, with additional episodes of over 250 cuts andover 30 minutes, was released in December 2019. This
exhibition is made up of 19 display panels that depict
the once-lively streetscape and the tragic state after theatomic bombing, mainly showing scenes from the filmfeaturing the main character Suzu in Hiroshima, in particular those set in Nakajima Ward (currently Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Park). There are also an additional 34
copies of original drawings and 22 sketches on display,and most of the explanatory text in the exhibition was
written by the film’s director, Sunao Katabuchi. The director’s special focus on particular details is evident
throughout the exhibition.
“The building of Taishoya kimono store was just170m from the bomb’s hypocenter, and it still exists today as the Rest House in Peace Memorial Park. When
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burns to their body, and died in great pain.
This exhibition shows items owned by three women
who died at the age of twenty-three.

【Contact】
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division
Phone: +81-82-241-4004

Atomic bombing testimonials
communicated using online
conference system

Mr. Nagaoka gazing at the pea gravel at Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine(Shogo Nagaoka collection)～ Even during―or actually because of―the pandemic,
we are communicating the reality of the bombing to
the world ～【Exhibition contents】■ Walking Over the Scorched Earth■ Displaying the Collected Materials to the Public■ Opening the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum■ Unfaltering Passion

With the spread of COVID-19 throughout the world,
there are restrictions on travel between different countries. Even under such circumstances, the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Museum is communicating atomic
bombing testimonials to people overseas using an online
conference system. The aim of this initiative is to communicate what happened in Hiroshima to large numbersof people in Japan and overseas, and thus develop a
global consensus for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Due to the fact that countries in Europe and America
were in lockdown, meetings scheduled to be held overseas had to be cancelled, and this included some atomic
bombing testimonial talks. However, from April to June,
online talks were held four times for participants in the
nuclear superpower America.

【Contact】
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division
Phone: +81-82-241-4004
Collection Exhibition section

Our sisters died at 23 years old
Date
Venue

: July 2020 – February 2021
:	H iroshima Peace Memorial Museum East
Building 1F, Special Exhibition RoomContents :	8 artifacts－Shizue Tsukamoto’s shirt and pants,
air defense hood, name tags and badges,
Kikuyo Shimokubo’s blouse, Asayo Tagawa’s
blouse, undergarment and work pants

The Collection Exhibition section displays items pickedout on a certain subject from the approximately 20,000
artifacts in the museum’s collection.
On August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb turned thecity of Hiroshima to rubble in an instant. Many people
were exposed to large amounts of radiation, suffered

Ms. Ogura giving her talk, connecting with families in Oregon State,
America

A woman from Oregon, who listened to the talk by
the hibakusha Ms. Keiko Ogura together with her children, said “Thanks to the talk by Ms. Ogura, I was able
to start talking about war, peace and nuclear weapons
with my children.” She expressed her gratitude that she
was able to connect online with Ms. Ogura, who lives in
Hiroshima, during the situation where it is not allowed
to go outside because of the pandemic.
This program has been underway since 2010, butthere was an initiative that was tried for the first time
this year. Usually, the person giving the testimonial talkcomes to the museum and gives the talk using theInternet connection and equipment in the conference
room. However, because there was a request to stay athome to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, the hibakusha who were to give talks were not able to come tothe museum. Therefore, it was decided at short noticethat the talk would be given by an A-bomb Legacy

Blouse worn by Kikuyo at the time of the bombing(Donated by Tomiko Hagimoto)

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Successor who was able to use the online conference
system from her home. In the online course organizedby the Hawaiian non-profit Pacific Historic Parks (PHP),a talk was given by Ms. Naoko Okimoto, an A-bombLegacy Successor who has taken on the A-bomb testimonial of hibakusha Mr. Mutsuhiko Segoshi (deceased).
There were around one hundred participants in the talksession from all over America.
The museum will continue to use the Internet andother technologies to communicate the reality of thebombing in Japan and overseas, during and after the
pandemic.
(Peace Memorial Museum Outreach Division)

Hiroshima, but said that she was able to eventually painther own interpretation of the scene after listening to Mr.
Arai speak about it numerous times. Ms. Okada said thatCompletion of A-bomb Pictures―High school students create pictures ofatomic bombing experiences―“Just trying to get away”
by Yusei Marukawa (Motomachi High School Creative Expression
Course) and Hiroaki Kawasaki (Atomic Bomb Witness)

This Foundation is involved in the creation of A-bomb
pictures that depict scenes at the time of the bombing
from the memories of the hibakusha and thus communicate the situation at that time. With the cooperation ofHiroshima Municipal Motomachi Senior High School
Creative Expression Course, the high school students
work together with Atomic Bomb Witnesses and othersfrom this Foundation to create the pictures. From lastyear, six hibakusha collaborated with fifteen students,and have now completed fifteen pictures. This project
started in 2007, and to date over 130 students have been
involved to create as many as 152 precious pictures.
In 2020, because of the spread of COVID-19, theschool had to be closed for a long period of time, andfor this reason, it took longer than normal to complete
the pictures. The completion ceremony was held at
Motomachi High School on July 20, with thorough measures in place including the wearing of masks and social
distancing. In attendance were six hibakusha, the students who created the pictures as well as other students
from the Creative Expression Course, and staffs of thisFoundation and Motomachi High School.
At the completion ceremony, a speech was given by
Yuri Okada (2nd year), who depicted a scene from thememory of hibakusha Satoru Arai. She spoke about how
she struggled to paint the scene of soot and dust floatingaround when she was depicting the darkness immediately after the atomic bomb was dropped on the city of“Stone steps with four people sitting and drinking sake”
by Asuka Kawasaki (Motomachi High School Creative Expression Course) and Yoshinori Kuniwake (Atomic Bomb Witness)“Living in the black market”
by Ayano Gobara (Motomachi High School Creative Expression Course)and Hiroshi Shimizu (Atomic Bomb Witness)“Looking for water”
by Moeka Shimomukai (Motomachi High School Creative Expression
Course) and Sadae Kasaoka (Atomic Bomb Witness)

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September 2020

tures this time it was not possible for the students to
speak to the hibakusha face-to-face. Therefore, meetings
were held over the phone, and the progress of the pictures was shown to the hibakusha using photos. To secure time to create the pictures, the students sometimes
took their canvas home with them. The A-bomb Picturesthat are the result of these efforts by the students will be
used in talks given by hibakusha to ensure that people
gain a deep understanding of the atomic bombing experience, and will also be loaned out and provided as image data to the media, so that the pictures can be of use
in the future to pass on the reality of the damage inflicted by the atomic bombing.
(Peace Memorial Museum Outreach Division)

Atomic bombing testimonials released in multiple languages
Of all visitors to the Hiroshima National Peace
Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims, the ratioof visitors from overseas is increasing every year, andnow accounts for around 40% of the total. By havingsuch visitors read the atomic bombing testimonials intheir mother tongue, we hope that people from various
different countries and regions will gain a deeper understanding of the reality of the damage inflicted by thebombing. For this reason, the Memorial Hall has been
providing multi-language translations of the testimonials
since 2009.

“A school yard turned into a cremation site”
by Miharu Okabe (Motomachi High School Creative Expression
Course) and Teruko Yahata (Atomic Bomb Witness)because she had attended elementary and junior highschool at schools outside of the Hiroshima city, she had
not been involved in detailed peace studies before this.
For this reason, she watched the film Hiroshima (1953)
and investigated that period using photographic materials, so that she could learn about the historical background and to help in the creation of her A-bomb
picture. She said that the most important thing was thatthrough creating the picture, she learned in greater depth
about the atomic bombing. She also said that throughthe emotionally tough work to create the picture, she
keenly felt that we need to confront the issue of theatomic bomb. Ms. Okada closed her powerful speech bysaying “I cannot speak for Mr. Arai to express what hefelt at the time of the bombing, but I want to communicate to as many people as possible what I felt and what I
learned through the process of creating this work.”
Due to COVID-19, in the process of creating the pic-

Atomic bombing testimonials in the foreign language section of thelibrary

The search devices in each section of the Memorial
Hall allow visitors to browse the testimonials in the four
languages of Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.
Additionally, in the foreign language section of the library the testimonials can be viewed in 24 languages.
Videos of the testimonials are also provided with dubbing or subtitles and these can also be viewed using thesearch devices.
On the peace information network “GLOBALNETWORK” on the Memorial Hall’s website the testimonials and testimonial videos are also available in multiple languages (URL: https://www.global-peace.go.jp/).

【Atomic bombing testimonials are available
in the following 28 languages】
English, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Italian, Indonesian,Urdu, Dutch, Greek, Croatian, Swedish, Spanish,
Slovenian, Thai, German, Norwegian, Hungarian, Hindi,
Tagalog, Finnish, French, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Polish,
Portuguese, Malay, Montenegrin, Russian.
(Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims)“Bright-red sun in the midst of darkness”
by Yuri Okada (Motomachi High School Creative Expression
Course) and Satoru Arai (Hiroshima Peace Volunteer)

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September 2020

Hiroshima City Consultation
Service for International Residents

language schools in regional areas, and conducting coordination and cooperation work with universities andtechnical colleges involved in Japanese language education.
This fall a new Japanese language course for beginners will be established. There are also plans to hold an“Easy Japanese” course for foreign residents living inregional areas, and fun events where citizens can enjoy
interacting with foreign residents. Information is provided on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hiroshima.
nihongo/).
(International Relations and Cooperation Division)―Vietnamese consultation section open 5 days a
week―

From April of this year at the Hiroshima City
Consultation Service for International Residents, consultation services in the Vietnamese language have been increased from two days a week to five days a week.
By expanding the consultation services, consultants
who can answer questions in Chinese, Spanish,Portuguese and Vietnamese can help every day, from
Monday to Friday, with the submission of documents togovernment bodies and other issues requiring support.

ProfileYuka Hashimoto, Japanese Language Education
Coordinator
Majored in Japanese language education. Has taught atuniversities in New Zealand and Costa Rica. Upon returning to Japan, worked as full-time lecturer at
Hiroshima International Center, manager of educational
affairs at the Support and Communication Center for
People Returning from China, before assuming her current position this spring.

【Contact】

Phone: (082) 241-5010
E-mail: soudan@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp【Location】	International Exchange Lounge, International Conference Center Hiroshima
1F【Hours open】9:00am－4:00pm, Monday to Friday【Supported languages】
	Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese【Closed】	Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays,
August 6, December 29－January 3

Safety Class for Foreign Residents

Japanese Language Education
Coordinator assigned from thisyear

With the rise in the number of foreign residents in
Hiroshima City, there is increased risk that such residents will be involved in traffic accidents or become thevictims of crimes. There are also those who may nothave any bad intentions, but because they are not familiar with Japan’s customs or rules, they unwittingly cause
problems or get involved in trouble or other dangerous
situations.
To avoid such dangers and ensure that foreign residents can live safely as members of the community, theSafety Class for Foreign Residents will be held to provide an opportunity to learn about rules related to daily
life and traffic safety. The class will be taught by
Hiroshima Prefectural police officers, from Hiroshima
Central Police Station and others. They will provide
clear explanations of the daily living and traffic rulesthat are different from those in the residents’ home countries and require attention when living in Japan.
The class is not all serious―there are some fun tours
too. There will be a tour of the Emergency Number 110
Communications Control Office in the police station.
This office has a large monitor that displays on a map inreal time the position of police officers and patrol carsthat have received an initial 110 emergency call and areat the scene of an incident or on patrol. This is a roomthat is usually off-limits, so please take this opportunity
to see it. At the end of the class, there will also be acommemorative photo with patrol cars or police motorcycles.
The class is conducted in simple Japanese, but is also available in various languages including English,
Chinese, Vietnamese and Portuguese, to allow people
who do not speak Japanese to participate.
Please feel free to apply to the International
Relations and Cooperation Division by telephone(please be aware that applications will close when theclass quota of 30 people is filled).

Japanese language education is becoming increasingly
important for foreign residents living in unfamiliar circumstances in Japan, to allow them to acquire theJapanese language skills they need for daily life, and ensure that they can lead a fulfilling life as a member ofthe community.
For this reason, a Japanese Language Education
Coordinator has been assigned to the International
Exchange and Cooperation Division since May 2020,
with the purpose of promoting Japanese language education activities. The coordinator’s desk has the logo
“Hiroshima City Japanese Language Desk”. Yuka
Hashimoto, the Japanese Language Education
Coordinator, is involved in planning educational programs and providing advice and support for Japanese

Yuka Hashimoto, working at her desk with the logo

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Hiroshimashi Heiwakoen Japanese Class forbeginners◆ Class dates: September 29－December 15 (21 daysin all)◆ Date/time: In principle, from 1:00pm – 3:00pm on
Tuesdays and Fridays◆ Location: Training room, 3F, International
Conference Center Hiroshima (in Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park)◆ Inquiries: International Relations and Cooperation
Division ／ Phone: (082) 242－8879, E-mail:jsldesk@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp＊Classes will be held in face-to-face style, having implemented thorough measures for the prevention of
COVID-19 infection. However, should there be an
unavoidable situation due to the spread of infections,
we will switch to online classes (Zoom). Thank you
for your understanding.

Commemorative photos can be taken on a police motorcycle

Safety Class for Foreign Residents◆ Date/time: September 28 (Mon) from 10:00am◆ Venue: 1F lobby, Hiroshima Central Police Station(9-48, Motomachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City)◆ Bookings and inquiries: International Relations andCooperation Division ／ Phone: (082) 242－8879＊Please be aware that depending on the situation of
COVID-19, the class may be cancelled or postponedat short notice. Participants will be contacted directly
if the class is cancelled or postponed.

Class calendar

Hiroshimashi Heiwakoen Japanese Classfor beginners to be opened
This Foundation has been consigned by the City ofHiroshima to hold a Japanese language class called
Hiroshimashi Heiwakoen (Peace Memorial Park)
Japanese Class for beginners, starting from September
29. This year will be the first time that the City ofHiroshima has opened a Japanese language class.
Do you know any foreign residents who are not able
to communicate with people in their local community or
have difficulties following instructions at work because
they cannot speak Japanese?
When people cannot understand Japanese, they cannot receive information when a natural disaster or any
other emergency situation occurs, which means that they
may face greater risks than Japanese people. At thisclass, students will start by learning hiragana andkatakana script that they need in day-to-day life, to ensure that, in particular, people who can hardly speak any
Japanese can lead their daily lives safely without any
problems.
The people teaching Japanese at the class are
Japanese language teachers Ms. Megumi Ikeda and Ms.
Masae Sugimoto. Both of these teachers majored inJapanese language education at university and graduate
school, and have over twenty years of teaching experience, including experience overseas.
Please refer to the chart for the days that classes will
be held. The deadline for applications to the class is
September 17, but applications may still be accepted fordays whose quota (20 people) has not been filled, so
please inquire by phone or email. Inquiries can be madein English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnameseand other languages.

Memoir of the A-bombing

I want to pass on the stories of‘The Lost Decade’

by Hiroshi Shimizu
Atomic Bomb Witness for thisFoundation
August 6, 1945
I was three when I experienced the atomic bombing
together with my mother at my home in Yoshijima
Town, 1.6km from the hypocenter. We were inside, so
we avoided any damage from the heat wave, but wewere buried under our collapsed house. My mother desperately pushed off the wood that was on top of us, got
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September 2020

through the roof and escaped, and pulled me out. Soon
after that, the area around our home became a sea of fire,
so if we had been a little later to get out I do not think
we would have survived.
My father was at his workplace just south of theHiroshima City Hall around 1km from the hypocenter
when the atomic bomb hit. He was thrown and his face
was covered in glass, and apparently he was covered inblood down to his chest. Chased by the flames, he fled
and got into the pond in front of a public hall on thenorth side of City Hall and passed out there, but his colleagues carried him to the Red Cross Hospital (1.5km
from the hypocenter) in Senda Town. The next morning,
he woke up in the hospital. He had the glass removed
from his face, and somehow crawled back to Yoshijima
Town, and was reunited with my mother around midday.
However, even though he’d finally been reunited withhis family again, he became weaker and weaker, andpassed away on October 8. When he died, for some reason his entire stomach had turned a bluish-black color.
When my mother saw that, she said “That’s because
your father inhaled a lot of gas from the atomic bomb.”
Now, I guess that his stomach turned bluish-black because his internal organs were destroyed because he was
exposed to strong radiation at close range.
I also suffered from radiation sickness for ten years
after the atomic bombing. It started with serious diarrhea, and then there was continued stomach pain, nosebleeds, Burabura illness(*) and more. I was a weak child,and during physical education class at school I justwatched. However, when I reached second year of junior high school these symptoms disappeared and I got
better, and I progressed through school and got a job. I
had so much stamina that if someone asked me what myhobby is I would say ‘Mountain climbing!’
Even so, from my late forties I gradually contracted
various illnesses. Even today I have intractable disease
in my kidneys and spine, and also heart disease. My older brother was exposed to radiation when he went into
Hiroshima city after the atomic bombing. He was very
well when he was younger, but at the age of seventy-five
he contracted cancer in his inner ear, and was certified
with radiation sickness. In 2019 he is 87 years old, but isnow fighting lung cancer. Even decades later, the atomic
bomb breaks down the body and continues to cause
pain―it really is a weapon of evil. I think that nuclear
weapons must be eradicated from this world as quickly
as possible.

The black market in front of Hiroshima Station
The stalls were around 1.8m x 1.8m. During the day, my mother soldcrockery. At night she would put down the stall and the three of us
slept there. We lived there for around one year.
(Photograph: United States Strategic Bombing Survey)

belongings and her husband, the main breadwinner, in
the atomic bombing, had to raise my older brother and I
on her own. She became a street seller, sold crockery on
the black market, worked as a day laborer at a canning
factory, and with the money she earned that day bought
food to look after us. Despite the fact that my mother also suffered from radiation sickness, she could not see a
doctor, and just worked as hard as she could. Eventually,
we were able to live a somewhat normal life, eventhough we were still poor, but that was more than five
years after the war. The hibakusha continued to live alife that was even tougher than life during the war. And
on top of that they have to suffer the after-effects of theatomic bomb decades later. This is why for the hibakusha, the war only ends when they die. I want to passdown my story, that this is what war is. This is why I am
involved in testimonial activities.
(*) Burabura illness: a condition or illness with symptoms such as lack of emotional energy, lack of motivation to do anything, tires easily. Cause unknown. One
after-effect of radiation sickness.
Profile[Hiroshi Shimizu]
Born in 1942.
2011: started A-bomb testimonial activities with a hibakusha organization upon feeling shocked by the nuclear
accident at Fukushima nuclear power plant.
2014: for two years from 2014, appointed as director at
Hiroshima A-Bomb Sufferers’ Organization and JapanC o n f e d e r a t i o n o f A - a n d H - B o m b S u ff e r e r s ’
Organizations, learned about the hibakusha movement.

The Lost Decade
I believe that my lifelong mission is to investigate‘The Lost Decade’ of hibakusha and pass on our stories.
The Lost Decade is what we call the approximately ten
years of suffering that the hibakusha from Hiroshima
and Nagasaki went through with no support whatsoever.
This was caused by the ‘Press Code for Japan’ issued by
the America military GHQ that occupied and controlled
Japan for seven years after the war. The Press Code prohibited any reporting about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Because of this, the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
was not reported and kept hidden, and the Japanese government followed this too. This closed off any opportunities for the hibakusha to receive medical or living
support from other areas in Japan or overseas, and they
were abandoned by the whole world. This part of history
is forgotten today, but it is an historical fact that should
never be repeated.
My family were victims. My mother, who lost all her

Information
Our Newsletters Are Accessible on the Internet
You can read our newsletters (Japanese version and English
version) on the Internet.
[URL] http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/hpcf/paper/〔Request〕Please inform us if you change your mailing address.
HIROSHIMA PEACE CULTURE FOUNDATION
1-2 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
730-0811, JAPAN
Phone. 81-82-241-5246
E-mail: p-soumu@pcf.city.hiroshima.jp〔URL〕http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/hpcf/

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