HIROSHIMA PEACE CULTURE FOUNDATIONPEACE CULTURE
Vol. 1 No.72

January 2015 (semiannual)

NPDI Ministerial Meeting Hiroshima

Commemorative photo with Hiroshima City preschool students, elementary students and foreign ministers
Panel discussion, Mayor Matsui speaks

On April 11 and 12, 2014, the 8th NPDI (Non-Proliferation andDisarmament Initiative) Ministerial Meeting was held in
Hiroshima. This was the first time that the meeting has been
held in Japan.
NPDI is a voluntary cross-regional group in the area of
disarmament and non-proliferation, made up of twelve nonnuclear-weapon states (Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany,
Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, the Philippines,
Poland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates). The aim of theorganization is to steadily implement the items agreed at the2010 NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) Review Conference, andto discuss creative policies on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
The meeting in Hiroshima this time was a rare opportunity
for the citizens of Hiroshima to communicate their wishes toforeign ministers from all over the world - their wishes for theabolition of nuclear weapons and lasting world peace.
Therefore various related community events were planned andincluded in the schedule to share the experiences of the atomic
bomb survivors and their wishes for peace.

Discussion session between foreign ministers and A-bomb
survivors and citizens
Following on from the disarmament symposium, theDiscussion Session Between Foreign Ministers and A-Bomb
Survivors and Citizens was held, attended by Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Japan Fumio Kishida, other foreign ministers, A-bomb survivors, NGO representatives, High School
Peace Ambassador, the President of Mayors for Peace
Hiroshima Mayor Matsui and Vice-President Nagasaki Mayor
Tomihisa Taue, and others.
Mr. Sunao Tsuboi, director of Hiroshima Prefectural
Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organization, stated “Toachieve peace, we must be rational. War is absolutely wrong”.
He and others of various positions and generations participatedin the discussion.

Nuclear Disarmament Symposium
On April 11, the first day of the meeting, a nuclear disarmament symposium was held. The theme of the symposium
was “The inhumanity of nuclear weapons and the roles of thegovernment and civic society to abolish nuclear weapons”.
With Professor Nobumasa Akiyama of Hitotsubashi
University as coordinator, representatives of national governments, A-bomb survivors, NGOs, the mayor of Hiroshima
City, governor of Hiroshima Prefecture and others from various positions held a discussion on the inhumanity of nuclear
weapons and the way forward to achieve their abolition.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui stated “Nuclear weapons are absolute evil, and the ultimate act of inhumanity. I
want people to know the actual damage from the atomic
bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki”.

Participants listening to Mr. Tsuboi, director of Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-Bomb Sufferers Association

Welcome reception and dinner jointly held by the Foreign
Minister and NPDI Ministerial Meeting Support andPromotion Council
After the Discussion Session, a welcome reception and1dinner was held. There was a local welcome in the form of aperformance of kagura, the music and dance form that is an
old tradition in Hiroshima, and local participants enjoyed mingling with the guests from overseas.

Nuclear Weapons! Petition Campaign by Hiroshima HighSchool Students”.
Mayor Matsui made a speech at the NGO session of the
Preparatory Committee, where he spoke to the representativesof national governments about the inhumanity of nuclear
weapons and the need for actions to achieve the prompt realization of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. He also submitted
to Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary-General, adocument calling for his leadership in starting concrete negotiations on the prompt realization of such a treaty. Mayor Matsui
also attended a related event where he gave a speech, and met
with representatives of national governments and asked fortheir further efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
He also held discussions on the global situation regarding nuclear disarmament.
Mayor Matsui’s main activities were as follows:

Program to communicate the actual damage from thebombingPrior to the main ministerial meeting on April 12, the foreign ministers from each country paid their respects and offered flowers at the Memorial Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb
Victims in Peace Memorial Park. As the ministers were passing along the route to the Cenotaph, they were welcomed by
local preschool children and citizens waving small flags fromeach country. Elementary school students from Hiroshima City
schools also handed them paper cranes and peace messages
written in English.
Next, Mr. Kenji Shiga, the director of the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Museum, led the ministers on a tour of the Museum.
The ministers then listened to an atomic bombing testimony by
an atomic bomb survivor, Ms. Keiko Ogura.
Ms. Ogura said “I don’t want children to experience thesame tragedy as we did. Let’s build a peaceful world together”.

April 27
Mayor Matsui presented flowers at Ground Zero, the sitewhere the World Trade Center was previously located prior to
the 9.11 terrorist attacks in 2001. He paid his respects to theapproximately 3,000 people who lost their lives there.
April 28
Mayor Matsui gave a speech at the discussion session between the Hiroshima petition campaign high school students
and the students of New York City’s Stuyvesant High School.
He gave an explanation of the actual damage from the tragicbombing of Hiroshima, and helped the students to understandthe heartfelt wishes of the atomic bomb survivors, who hopefor the abolition of the absolute evil that is nuclear weapons,
as well as the message of Hiroshima. He also encouraged thestudents to share their thoughts on how to build a peacefulworld free of nuclear weapons, and to develop friendships witheach other.
Mayor Matsui then met with UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon. After handing him the request from Mayors for
Peace and a list of approximately 210,000 signatures from
Hiroshima citizens, he then requested that the SecretaryGeneral make efforts to develop momentum for the immediate
abolition of nuclear weapons, including the start of concrete
negotiations on the prompt realization of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. He also asked that the Secretary-General visit
Hiroshima and Nagasaki next year in line with the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing.
Mayor Matsui also attended the reception held by thePermanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, attended
by Ms. Angela Kane, UN High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs, Mr. Roman Morey, Chairperson of the
Preparatory Committee, and ambassadors from other national
missions. In a speech at the reception, the high school students
from the petition campaign expressed their determination tocommunicate to the people of the world the wishes of people
in the A-bombed cities, and do what they can, as young people
who will lead the next generation, to achieve a peaceful world
free of nuclear weapons. They received a warm round of applause.

Foreign ministers listening to the atomic bomb testimony by Ms.
Ogura

Through the series of events over the two days, we could reaffirm that inviting political leaders from all over the world tovisit Hiroshima provides a good opportunity to share wishes
for peace. The occasion also provided an opportunity to broadly communicate throughout Japan and overseas the message ofabolishing nuclear weapons by 2020.
At the ministerial meeting held after these events, foreign,state ministers and other representatives from seven nations attended and discussed nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. At the end of the meeting, the Hiroshima Statement was
adopted, which included a call to the world’s political leaders,
including those from nuclear weapons states, to visit
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as a proposal for multilateralnegotiations for the ultimate abolition of nuclear weapons.
(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)

April 29
The Youth Forum was held by Mayors for Peace, on thetheme of “Aiming for a Peaceful World Free of Nuclear
Weapons”.
First Mayor Matsui gave a speech. He spoke about the current concerns about the fading memory of the A-bomb experience, and spoke of the importance of young people leading theway to communicate the A-bomb experience to the people of
the world and to future generations. The mayor also encouraged the participants to lead future movements to abolish nuclear weapons and to achieve world peace. The coordinator ofthis Forum was Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, Chairperson of

New York Visit by Mayors for Peace Delegation
at same time as NPT Review Conference
Preparatory Committee
In conjunction with the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty)
Review Conference Preparatory Committee held in New York
City in April 2014, Mayors for Peace (President: Hiroshima
Mayor Kazumi Matsui) sent a delegation to New York. Thistime, for the first time, eight high school students also travelled together with the delegation, to promote the “No More
2

Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation and Secretary-General of
Mayors for Peace. Presentations were made by the eight highschool students from the petition campaign, two university students from the Nagasaki youth delegation, and an American
university student who is working as an intern in the 2020
Vision Campaign Association. They spoke about their respective peace activities, their wishes for peace, and expressed
their determination for initiatives to abolish nuclear weapons.
The Forum was held at the same time as the NPT Review
Conference Preparatory Committee. Even so, around 80 people attended and the venue was full, with some participants
standing.
Next was the NPT Review Conference 3rd Preparatory
Committee NGO session, at where Mayor Matsui andNagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue gave speeches. Mayor Matsui
used data to explain the tragic state of Hiroshima 69 years ago.
He also spoke about the lives of the survivors after the bombing, emphasizing the inhumanity and absolute evil of nuclear
weapons. The mayor also stated that,as international discussions proceed
focusing on the inhumane aspect of
nuclear weapons,
he would work together with Mayors
for Peace member
cities, the United
Nations and NGOs Speech at the NPT Review Conference 3rd
a i m i n g f o r t h e Preparatory Committee NGO Session
prompt realizationof a treaty banning nuclear weapons. The mayor also called forUnited States President Obama to visit Hiroshima andNagasaki.

Strengthening of Mayors for Peace Activities

Visits to America and Mexico

Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, Secretary-General of Mayors for
Peace, and Chairperson of this Foundation, made visits to
America and Mexico in February 2014. The aims of the visitswere to request that the Mayors for Peace Vice President cities
assume the post of Leader Cities, to attend the Second
Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons,
to strengthen ties with the United Nations, and more.
Mr. Komizo’s main activities are outlined below.
Request to Mayors for Peace Vice-President Cities tobecome Leader Cities
Mr. Komizo made requests to the mayor of Akron City(America), the mayor of Mexico City (Mexico), and the mayor
of Frogn City (Norway), who attended the Second Conference
on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, to assume
the position of Leader Cities. The mayor of Akron City accepted, while the other two cities responded that they would consider the proposal with a view to possibly accepting.
Mr. Komizo had discussions with each of the mayors about
future Mayors for Peace activities.
Attending the Second Conference on the Humanitarian
Impact of Nuclear Weapons
This conference took place in Mexico on February 13 and14, 2014. Representatives from 146 nations attended. Mr.
Komizo presented his opinion at the A-bomb testimony session at the start of the conference. After expressing his gratitude and respect for the A-bomb survivors, he stated that wehave now reached the time where the people of the world mustsolemnly accept the message of the A-bomb survivors - themessage that such a tragedy must not be inflicted on anyone
ever again - a noble message that comes from their deep yet irrepressible emotions as human beings. He also said that it is
the “global community” approach that will guarantee a new
type of international security that can be trusted and will become the foundation for lasting world peace.
The speech was followed by a discussion between the national government representatives, NGO representatives, disarmament experts and A-bomb survivors living overseas on
the abolition of nuclear weapons.

April 30
Mayor Matsui gave a speech at a side event held byHiroshima Prefecture. The theme of the event was “Making
the Most of the Hiroshima Experience”. He explained initiatives that are based on the detailed action plan to achieve 2020
Vision, and stated that Hiroshima City and Mayors for Peace
will make the utmost efforts coordinate the wishes of a wide
range of civic societies crossing borders and generations toward the abolition of nuclear weapons. He also called for participants to act together for the abolition of nuclear weapons,an absolute evil.
This event was also attended by Ms. Angela Kane, the UN
High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. In her speech,
she said that she greatly values the efforts of Mayors for Peace,and emphasized the importance of activities by young people,
mentioning the activities of the signing petition by high school
students as a good example.
This was followed by a forum held by the NGO Peace
Depot and others, on the theme “Now is the time to act for theestablishment of a North-East Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free
Zone”. In his speech, Mayor Matsui said that the establishmentof a nuclear weapon-free zone has an important role to play as
one system for the abolishment of nuclear weapons.
Mayor Matsui also met with Mr. Jorge Lomonaco,
Mexican Ambassador for Disarmament to the United Nations,as well as other national government representatives. In meeting with them, the mayor asked that they make further efforts
for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and discussed the global
situation regarding nuclear disarmament.

Strengthening ties with the United Nations
Mr. Komizo met with Ms. Angela Kane, UN High
Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and explained thecurrent Mayors for Peace activities. He also asked for her cooperation for the meeting between Hiroshima Mayor Matsui
and the UN Secretary-General when the mayor attends the
NPT Review Conference Preparatory Committee meeting at
the end of April.
Ms. Kane said
that she has great
respect for the factthat Hiroshima andNagasaki are proactively communicating the A-bomb
experience, andsaid that she is satisfied with the tiesof cooperation that Mr. Komizo with Ms. Angela Kane, UN Highhave been devel- Representative for Disarmament Affairs
oped between the
United Nations and Mayors for Peace.

(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)3

a member of the national parliament who was 2 years oldwhen he experienced the bombing at Rongelap Atoll. He thenhad a discussion with Mr. Riklon, and requested that Kwajalein
Atoll become a member of Mayors for Peace.

Enhancing Mayors for Peace Activities

Visit to Marshall Islands

Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the Secretary-General of Mayors for
Peace, and chairperson of this Foundation, attended the official
ceremony of Nuclear Victims’ Remembrance Day (commonly
known as Bikini Day) held in the Republic of MarshallIslands’ capital Majuro City on March 1, 2014. He attended onbehalf of Hiroshima Mayor Matsui.
Sixty years have passed since the hydrogen bomb tests
conducted by the United States in Bikini Atoll on March 1,
1954. Mr. Komizo attended the official Bikini Day ceremony
and related events, where he communicated the message ofHiroshima calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons andlasting world peace. He also met with local people who are involved in peace activities.
Mr. Komizo’s main activities are described below.

(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)

On-Site Learning Support for HiroshimaNagasaki Peace Study Course
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are asking colleges anduniversities around the world to establish and promote
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Courses. The aim of thecourse is to communicate to the young generation the messageof the A-bomb survivors - a legacy common to humankind - asan academically organized and universal discipline, incorporating the survivors’ wish for peace.
From March to May 2014, groups of students from Central
Connecticut State University and Indianapolis University in
the United States, as well as international students fromJapan’s International Christian University, each conducted onsite study tours in Hiroshima. Each of the universities offers
the Peace Study Course.
The students from the three universities learned about theactual damage from the atomic bombing, through tours ofPeace Memorial Park and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Museum, and listening to A-bomb testimonies. They also visited the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the
Atomic Bomb Victims, where they listened to a recital of poetry based on the bombing, and tried reciting poetry themselves.

February 27
Mr. Komizo paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Christopher
Loeak, President of the Republic of Marshall Islands. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to give a speech at the
Bikini Day official ceremony, and handed him a letter from
Mayor Matsui.
President Loeak
thanked Mr. Komizo
for participating in
the ceremony, andspoke of the importance of communicating the damageof nuclear weapons
to the young generations and to the
Courtesy visit to President Loeakworld.

Central Connecticut State University
For two days
over March 19
and 20, a groupof 22 students
and two teachers
from Central
Connecticut
State University
participated in
on-site learning
as a part of training for new stu- Students from Americaʼs Central Connecticut
dents. The group State University reciting poetry at the A-bomb
listened to the poetry recital session
A-bomb testimony of Ms. Seiko Ikeda, among other activities.

February 28
Mr. Komizo listened to a dialogue between Mr. Matashichi
Oishi, a surviving crew member from Daigo Fukuryū Maru,
the Japanese tuna fishing vessel that experienced the US hydrogen bombing on the Bikini Atoll, and residents of the
Marshall Islands who survived the bombing on Rongelap
Atoll.
March 1
Mr. Komizo gave a speech at the Nuclear Victims’
Remembrance Day official ceremony. He stated that we should
solemnly share the noble and powerful message of the survivors, and that from a humanitarian perspective we cannot allow nuclear weapons to be used ever again. He also expressed
his determination to make all efforts to ensure that there arenever again any hibakusha anywhere in the world.
The MC at the ceremony also read out a message from
Mayor Matsui.

International Christian University (ICU)
From April 5 to 8, a group of 12 international students
from International Christian University (ICU) participated in
on-site learning. The international students participating wereselected from countries all over the world by the RotaryFoundation,with headquarters in America,
and were all
students who
are majoring inpeace research
for their master’s course at
ICU. This time
marked the 9 thtime that ICU
students havevisited as part International students from International Christian University offering paper cranes at theof this initia- Childrenʼs Peace Monument

March 2
Mr. Komizo gave a lecture on achieving a world free of
nuclear weapons at a workshop for young people about the
Global Hibakusha Project, which calls for solidarity to abolishnuclear weapons by showing images of the world’s hibakusha
testimonies on the Internet.
He also visited Majuro Peace Park and the Eastern Pacific
Memorial to the Victims of War, which were constructed by
the Japanese government to pray for the repose of the souls of
those who lost their lives in World War II, and for lastingworld peace.
March 3
Mr. Komizo listened to the testimony of Mr. Jeban Riklon,
4

tive.
In addition to listening to the A-bomb testimony by Ms.
Seiko Ikeda, the students also participated in a discussion with
Mr. Komizo, the chairperson of the board of this Foundation,and researchers from the Hiroshima Peace Institute, and spoke
frankly about what they can each do to achieve the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

Lee Bangul,
President of
Korean College of
the Arts in Ogura,
Kita-Kyushu, gavea performance ofthe Korean koto,
known as thegayageum, and afan dance, and as
President Lee plays the gayageum
well as a traditional Korean rural dance and performance known as Samul nori,using traditional instruments, by the Hiroshima branch of the
Korean Youth Association in Japan. The audience was entranced by the performances.
A Daegu Korea Madan (square) was set up with various
different sections, including a section with Daegu Metropolitan
City tourist information, a place where people could take commemorative photos in traditional Korean dress (chima jeogori), a section where visitors could try writing their own namein Korean (hangeul) and a stall selling traditional Koreanhome cooking. Through three days, many people, mainly families and young women, fully enjoyed Korean culture.
During the event, there were over 9,000 visitors and theevent was a great success.

Indianapolis University
From May 10
to 14, a group of
8 students and 2teachers from
Indianapolis
University participated in on-sitelearning as a partof Indianapolis
U n i v e r s i t y ’s
Hiroshima Peace
A-bomb witnesses and the group from
Study course
Americaʼs Indianapolis University
which is certified
as a Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Course. This was the 4thtime that students from this university have conducted on-sitelearning. The group experienced Japanese culture and learned
about peace-related issues.
The group deepened their understanding of the actual damage from the bombing through various activities: they listened
to an A-bomb testimony by Mr. Sadao Yamamoto and a lecture
by Ms. Mari Tsuruda, emeritus principal of the Hiroshima
YMCA School of Languages, on her experience in an internment camp for people of Japanese descent in America during
the World War II. They also attended a lecture by Mr. Kazumi
Mizumoto, Vice-President of the Hiroshima Peace Institute,and viewed the A-bombed trees at Shukkeien Garden. As a
new initiative, they listened to a commentary by the Hiroshima
Castle curator about the war ruins at the Hiroshima Castle
grounds, including the Chugoku Military Headquarters, together with six students from Hiroshima University of
Economics. They also spoke with the Hiroshima students andlearned about the historical side of Hiroshima, once a militarycity.

Hanover Day
The Hanover Day commemorative event was held on May
25, 2014, at Hiroshima City International House. It was organized by the 2014 Hanover Day Executive Committee.
The event included a tea ceremony experience in the styleof Ueda Soko, who had a strong connection with Hanover,tasting of sausages made using the authentic German method
and German bread, tasting of baumkuchen cake, a demonstration of German
cake-making,
Luettje Lage (adrinking methodpeculiar to
Hanover, where
two different alcoholic drinks
are poured into
two small glasses and thendrunk in one
Tasting of German cuisinegulp), and more.
In the hall
after the ceremony, Kai Watanabe, who was born in Germany,
provided an introduction of the town of Hanover, and Mr. Koki
Inai, President of the Hiroshima-Hanover Friendship
Association, gave a report on exchange activities in Hanover.
This was followed by the German Music Concert, where threegroups of professional musicians gave a wonderful performance of mainly music with connections to Germany. Finally,
the event ended with all participants joining in a chorus of“Wild Rose”.
In the section introducing Hanover and Germany, a 7-seater bicycle from Hanover, the “conference bike”, was on display. There were also panel displays showing the history of exchange activities between Hiroshima City and Hanover City, acraft class teaching how to make paper models of Hanovertrains, and a German picture book reading session. Each section was busy with many visitors.
There were approximately 320 visitors to the event overall, which helped people deepen their understanding ofHanover and Germany in a fun way through a varied program.

(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)

Sister and Friendship City Days Commemorative Events

Hiroshima Citizens Enjoy Foreign Cultures

Hiroshima City has established Sister and Friendship City
Days for each of the six overseas cities with which it has a
Sister City or Friendship City relationship. The aim of theevents is to have Hiroshima citizens feel a greater affinity withthese cities, and develop a deeper understanding of the importance of having friendly relations. The Hiroshima Messengers,
who were selected through public recruitment, acted as MC
and facilitator for each event.
Daegu Day
The Daegu Day commemorative event was held from May
3-5, 2014, at the location of the Hiroshima Flower Festival.
The event was organized by the 2014 Daegu Day Executive
Committee.
A commemorative ceremony was held on May 3. On thestage, speeches were made by the Chairperson of the Daegu
Day Executive Committee, the Mayor of Hiroshima and theConsul-General from the Korean Consulate General in
Hiroshima. The President of the Daegu-Hiroshima Association
also read out a message from the Mayor of Daegu
Metropolitan City. In the section on culture and the arts, Ms.

(International Relations and Cooperation Division)
5

the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and ensure its early entry into force. He also stated that he will work to makefurther progress on initiatives to realize a “world free of nuclear weapons” leading up to next year, which is the milestone
year of the 70th year since the atomic bombing and also theyear when the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty
on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be
convened.
Representatives of bereaved families from 41 prefecturesattended the ceremony, as well as Mr. Hidehiko Yuzaki, theGovernor of Hiroshima Prefecture, Ms. Angela Kane, theUnited Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs,
and ambassadors and representatives from the European Union(EU) and 68 nations, including nuclear states such as America,
the United Kingdom, France and Russia.
The ceremony was relayed live on the Internet. The fulltexts of the Peace Declaration is available in ten languages(Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Korean,
Portuguese, Russian and Spanish) on the Hiroshima City home
page (http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/) under “The Atomic
Bomb and Peace” >> “Peace Declaration, Protest Letters, etc”.

69th Peace Memorial Ceremony- Each one of us will help determine the future of thehuman family -Mayor Matsui making the Peace Declaration

On August 6, 2014, for the 69th time since the atomic bombing,
Hiroshima City held the Peace Memorial Ceremony in thecity’s Peace Memorial Park. The ceremony was held in rainy
conditions for the first time in 43 years. Approximately 45,000
bereaved families and others attended and prayed for the soulsof the deceased and for eternal peace.
The ceremony commenced at 8am. First, Hiroshima Mayor
Kazumi Matsui and two representatives of bereaved families
dedicated two volumes of Register of the Names of the Fallen
Atomic Bomb Victims to the shrine in the Memorial Cenotaph
for the Atomic Bomb Victims. In the two volumes were recorded the names of the 5,507 atomic bomb victims who havepassed away over the past year. This brings the number of
those registered to 292,325 people, in a total of 107 volumes.
This was followed by a speech by Mr. Noriaki Usui,
Chairperson of the Hiroshima City Council, and a dedicationof flowers by various representatives. At 8:15, the time when
the bomb was dropped, Mr. Kaduki Kato, representing the bereaved families, and Ui Okano, a children’s representative,
rang the Peace Bell, and all participants observed a minute ofsilence.
Mayor Matsui then read out the Peace Declaration. He said
“To avoid forgetting that sacred sacrifice and to prevent a repetition of that tragedy, please listen to the voices of the survivors”. Presenting some of the atomic bombing experiences andwishes for peace that he has heard from the survivors, he firmly stated “To make sure the tragedies of Hiroshima andNagasaki never happen a third time, let’s all communicate,think and act together with the hibakusha for a peaceful world
without nuclear weapons and without war”.
The mayor also called on the world’s policy makers to visit the areas that were bombed and see the truth of the bombing
for themselves, and to work to build a new security system
based on trust and dialogue. Addressing the national government of Japan, he said that at this time when the security situation is particularly severe, Japan must continue to be a nationof peace both in word and in deed, enhance support measuresfor hibakusha and others suffering from the effect of radiation,and expand the “black rain areas”.
After the Peace Declaration, the children’s representatives
Yuichiro Muta and Reiko Tamura read out the Commitment to
Peace, saying “We are waiting for all of you here in this city.
Let’s all talk and share opinions about peace, about the future,
Believing that many different thoughts will become a powerfuldriving force for peace”.
In his speech, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he isdirectly calling on the heads of the relevant nations to ratify(General Affairs Division)Memoir of the A-bombing:

1st and 2nd year students at
Hiroshima Second Middle School– A difference of life or deathby Sadao Yamamoto

Atomic Bomb Witness
for This Foundation

That fateful day of Hiroshima Second Middle School
When the bomb was dropped, I was 14 years old, a 2ndyear student at Hiroshima Second Middle School. At that time,
all the 3rd year students and older students had been mobilized
and were working at munitions plants and other places, andonly 1st and 2nd year students were left in the school.
Even though it was the summer holidays, those 1st and 2ndyear students were taking turns going to class at school (tomake up for lost classes) and going to building demolition
work. Building demolition work refers to pulling down buildings in the central area of the city, to create a fire preventive
belt in case of air raids.
Students from all junior high schools and girls’ schools in
the city area were called up to participate in building demolition work. The place that our school was asked to go to was
the banks of Honkawa River, just 500m from the hypocenter.
It was there that 1st and 2nd year students from my school tookturns to do building demolition work. On that fateful day,August 6, it was the 1st year students who went.
1st and 2nd year students, a difference of life or death
The 2 nd year students, myself included, were to go toschool on the 6th. However, when we had finished the demolition work on the previous day, we were told by the teacher not
to go to school the next day, but rather to gather at the Eastern
Drill Ground to weed the school’s sweet-potato field. So that iswhere we went.
The place that the 1st year students went was 500m from6

the hypocenter, while we the 2nd year students were at theEastern Drill Ground, 2.5km from the hypocenter. This difference was the difference between life and death. The 322 1styear students and the 4 teachers with them all perished. The 2ndyear students who had gathered at the Eastern Drill Ground
had some burns on their faces and bodies, but I did not hear ofanyone who died as a direct result of the bombing.
In actual fact, if 2nd year students had gone to school thatday, 8:15 was the time when I was walking through the middleof the city on the way to school, and I would surely have died.
I was saved because we gathered at the Eastern Drill Groundthat day.

Second Middle School, and when I watched it I was surprised.
The depiction of the students in the drama was unbelievable.
Together with the TV drama series, a book called “Ishibumi”
was also published, and described them in great detail.
According to the book, while around one-third of the 1st year
students did fall on that spot, each of the other students werenamed and described in detail – children who, although seriously burned, tried desperately to get home, driven by thethought of seeing their mother or going home again; children
who tried to get back to the school with their teachers; children
who lined up on stone steps with their friends and died; children who fled to the river, formed a circle with their friends
and encouraged each other by singing war songs. Thinking ofthem filled me with emotion.
On October 2 in the following year, 1970, the male chorus
for which I was the conductor performed “Requiem Ishibumi”
at Hiroshima Public Hall (a building that was where the current International Conference Center Hiroshima is located). It
is a requiem to the 1 st year students of Hiroshima Second
Middle School. When I opened the back door of the PublicHall, I could see the Hiroshima Second Middle School memorial monument. We dedicated the encore to the children of thememorial monument. This is something I will never forget.
We must abolish nuclear weapons and achieve world peace
to ensure that this kind of tragic history is never repeated. I too
will continue to do my best through atomic bombing testimonials and other activities.

Eastern Drill Ground at the time of the bombing
I think that the teacher at the Eastern Drill Ground had justcalled us 2nd year students to gather together, but it was right atthat time that three B-29 heavy bombers came flying overhead
from the south. But since the air-raid alert had been lifted andthere had been few planes flying over, we all looked up thinking that it must be some kind of reconnaissance. Those planes
suddenly turned around and flew away, which we thought wasstrange. It was at that moment that there was a huge booming
sound and at the same time a forceful blast that blew us away.
When I regained consciousness and stood up, huge brilliant
pink flames were billowing up with a monstrous force right in
the direction of Hiroshima Station.
I was certain that Hiroshima Station had been bombed, andthinking that another bomb would be dropped, I fled with anumber of my friends to Onaga Tenmangu Shrine, which was
located on a nearby mountain. I had burns on one side of myface. I had my burns treated with tempura oil at the shrine, andthen fled into the valley behind the shrine. Tempura oil wasused at the time as first-aid treatment for burns.
I hid there until around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Afterchecking that the fires in the city had died down a little, I returned home. The inside of my house was a mess as a result of
the bomb’s blast, but thankfully all my family members, boththose who were in the house and those who were out, survived. My father was particularly fortunate. He was in a building around 700m from the hypocenter when the bomb was
dropped, but luckily was on the other side of a thick concrete
wall and was not even injured. He was one of the few survivors in that building.

ProfileSadao Yamamoto
Born in June 1931. When the bomb was dropped, was in the Eastern
Drill Ground 2.5km from the hypocenter, a 14-year-old 2nd year student at Hiroshima Second Middle School. Worked many years in acompany, participating in a male chorus in his spare time. Conducted
the first performance of “Ishibumi – Requiem for a Male Chorus” on
October 2, 1970, in memory of the 1st year students at Hiroshima
Second Middle School, which was completely destroyed in the bombing - the performance is an unforgettable memory even today.

Memorial for the Atomic Bomb Victims ofNagasakiTragedy of the 1 year students of Hiroshima Second
Middle School and Requiem for Them
The 1st year students were in a location that was close to
the hypocenter. They
were almost directly
below the atomic
bomb that exploded
approximately 600m
overhead, and for along time I believedthat they had all met
a violent end in thatplace.
However, in1969 there was adrama series called“Ishibumi (Stone
Monument)” aired Ishibumi, A Book Recording the Fate ofon TV. It was the sto- Hiroshima Second Middle School 1st Yearry of the 1st year stu- Students (Edited by Hiroshima TelecastingCo., Ltd., Published by POPLAR Publishdents of Hiroshima ing Co., Ltd.)st

On August 9, 2014, the day that the atomic bomb was droppedon Nagasaki, this Foundation holds the Memorial for the
Atomic Bomb Victims of Nagasaki. The event is held so thatthe people of Hiroshima, bombed like Nagasaki, can send theircondolences for the victims of the bombing of Nagasaki, andrenew their pledge to achieve peace.
Memorial 2014 was held in the 1st floor lobby of the East
Building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
Approximately fifty people attended, including atomic bomb
survivors and visitors to the museum from Japan and overseas.
Firstly, Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the Chairperson of thisFoundation, opened the ceremony with a speech. A live television relay of Nagasaki Peace Ceremony was then shown. At
11:02, the time when the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, allparticipants observed a minute of silence.
Mr. Yukio Yoshioka, the secretary-general of theHiroshima Alliance of A-bomb Survivor Organizations, thengave a speech, and the ceremony concluded with a video of
Ms. Sumiko Takano (A-bomb witness), who gave her testimonial of the bombing of Nagasaki.
(Peace and International Solidarity Promotion Division)
7

there would be no more air raids by those horrible B29 planes.
After the war, for some reason my father stopped working,saying that he felt sluggish, and so the rest of the family did
any work we could to make ends meet. I learned later that myfather had liver cancer.

Memoir of the A-bombing:

Surviving Hiroshima as a Korean
Resident in Japan

Encouraged by the next generation - sending a message tothe future
The reason that I started atomic bombing testimony activities was that in May 2002, I was approached, coincidentally,by three elementary school students from Osaka, and I spoke
to them about my experiences. Those children made a presentation about my story at parents’ day at the school, and sent mea thank you note, telling me that when they gave their presentation there were some mothers who shed tears.
Every time I speak about my experiences I tell the children, “Although I have been bullied because I am Korean, I
have received much more kindness and affection than cruelwords, and that has helped me to forget the bullying and hatred. Kindness and affection are truly much more important
than bullying”. The atomic bomb kills people before they havea chance to call out for help. War means people killing eachother, so whether you win or lose, many people die, many people are injured. This is why there must be no war, and no use
of nuclear weapons. I want to communicate this to the next
generation.

by Park Namjoo

Atomic Bomb Witness
for This Foundation

Student mobilization and life during wartime as a subjectof JapanMy parents came from Korea to Japan during the war.
They lived relatively well, and I went on from elementary
school to a girls’ school. The Pacific War broke out when I wasin elementary school, and when I was at the girls’ school, students were mobilized to grow vegetables, and demolish buildings (pulling down buildings so that fires would not spread),and as a result there was little time to study. Pencils and thelike were rationed out, but all we could think was that we
wanted to do our best to help Japan win.
8/6, that fateful day
I was going to a girls’ school, but on August 6 I happened
to have a slight injury and stayed home from school. I was ona streetcar with my younger brother and sister traveling from
Fukushima Town.
At around 1.9km from the hypocenter, I heard a faint boomof the B29 heavy bomber, and at the same time a great flash oflight and sound, and a huge ball of flame enveloped the streetcar. Uninjured, I jumped off and the next thing I knew I was
grabbing my brother’s and sister’s hands. We walked past people bleeding from various parts of their bodies as we headedfor home. When we climbed the banks of the river, the city ofHiroshima had truly disappeared. Many people were fleeing
from the central part of the city, and it was unspeakable, a horrifying sight. My parents had been in Fukushima Town when
the bomb was dropped, but they returned home in one piece.
After a while, black rain like oil started falling. We ran
through the rain to the mountain in Koi together with ourneighbors. Once night fell, we could see the city of Hiroshima
burning bright red, as if it would scorch the sky. Some of ourneighbors were mobilized as students on August 6, and not oneof them came homealive.
The next morning, the surrounding area was so
horrible that eventhe term “disastrous
scene” does not describe it. The
wounds of living
people were filledwith maggots, and “A-bomb drawings by survivors” by Giso
Shimomurapeople were cre- Seen from the hills of Koi, Hiroshima was amating the corpses burning, burning hell of flames. Approx. 3kmof people whose from the hypocenter (August 6, 1945, night)
whole bodies wereswollen up and whose eyeballs were popping out. Children
were helping. The wound on my head started festering and became sticky, but I do not remember any pain. The only thing I
clearly recall is a fear that maggots would come.

ProfilePark Namjoo
Born in Hiroshima City in 1932. Parents came to Japan from Jinju city,
South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Was riding in a streetcar
1900m from the hypocenter with two siblings when the bomb was
dropped. Has continued with atomic bombing testimony activities
since 2003. From 2005, involved for three years in Japan-Korea exchange and peace activities as the chairperson of the Hiroshima
Branch Women’s Association of Mindan (Korean Residents Union in
Japan).

Start of Renovations of Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Museum
Preparations have been under way at the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Museum to preserve the aging main building
and to completely update the permanent exhibition. The
aim of the update is to ensure that the truth of the atomic
bombing can be clearly and accurately communicated tothe public, of which the majority now has no experience ofwar.
Renovations to the East Building commenced in
March 2014, starting with the 1st floor basement. An escalator will be newly installed and the office that had beenon the 3rd floor was relocated to the 1st floor basement, sothat the 3rd floor can be used as an exhibition room.
Work on exhibition rooms from the 1st floor to the 3rd
floor commenced on September 1, 2014. While the exhibition rooms in the East Building are closed during the construction work, temporary exhibitions showing the samecontent as the East Building exhibitions are being shownin the Main Building. The updated East Building exhibitions will be opened in 2016.
Work on the Main Building will take place in 2016 2017, after the renewal of the East Building is complete.
The grand opening of both the East and the Main Buildings
is planned for 2018.

Struggling to survive after the war
When I heard that the war was over, I was so happy that

(Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Curatorial Division)
8

The Inhumanity of Nuclear Weapons – From Medical Evidence

time of the bombing (Fig.2).

by Nanao Kamada(Fig.2)

Director, Hiroshima A-Bomb
Survivors’ Relief Foundation

Introduction
The Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear
Weapons was held for the first time in Norway in March 2013,
and for the second time in Mexico in February 2014. In 2011,
the International Federation of the Red Cross in Geneva raised
the issue and initiated discussion on the humanitarian impactof nuclear weapons. I am sure that the people of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki feel that this is all coming too late, but from theviewpoint of people in other places in the world, although theymight have heard of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they do not really know what happened there, and in particular, do not knowmuch about the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.
In this article, I would like to discuss the fact that nuclear
weapons are inhuman from the perspective of the medical evidence, and then look at the inhumanity of nuclear weaponsthat is demonstrated through the lives of each individual atomic bomb survivor.

Unborn babies at time of bombing: Impact of the bombing appears as microcephaly accompanied by intellectual impairment. In Hiroshima there were 48 people and in Nagasaki
there were 17 people, for a total of 65 people, with microcephaly and intellectual impairment. As of February 2014, there are
10 people with this condition still living in Hiroshima City.
Their guardians have all passed away. There are approximately
7,000 people who were unborn babies at the time of the bombing and are not showing any symptoms, 2,600 of whom live in
Hiroshima.
Young children at time of bombing: People who were
exposed to a significant amount of radiation had stunted
growth of their height and weight for a period after the bombing, resulting in low height and weight. There were also manycases of leukemia soon after the bombing. Further, it is thoughtthat the occurrence of cancer (including multiple cancers) increases as people age.
Adults at the time of the bombing: Many cases of cancer
and blood vessel disease. Fig.3 shows the period where there
were many cases of cancer occurring, following on from leukemia. The dotted line indicates where there is likely to be(suggestive) statistical significance, while the solid line shows
the period where statistical significance has been recognized.
Following on from thyroid cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer,
stomach cancer and colon cancer, there was also an increase inskin cancer and meningioma (a type of brain tumor). Fromaround 1995, the number of survivors suffering from their second cancer started to increase. As Fig.4 shows, 59 years after
the bombing there were many survivors who had been exposed
to high levels of radiation who were suffering from multiple
cancers: first colon cancer and then lung cancer in the follow-

1. Types of disease differ according to the atomic bombenergy source
Fig.1 shows atomic bomb energy sources and their effecton human beings. Fifty percent of the energy from the atomic
bomb was emitted by the bomb’s blast, and immediately after
the bomb was dropped, causing direct damage such as blows
and lacerations. Thirty-five percent of the bomb’s energy isemitted as heat rays, which produce Keloids as an aftereffect.
The remaining 15% of the energy is emitted as radiation.
Radiation caused genetic damage, with aftereffects such as
cancer, microcephaly, growth retardation, cataracts and bloodvessel disease.
(Fig.1)(Fig.3)On March 10, 1945, Tokyo was the subject of a massive
air raid, and in the same way as Hiroshima, over 100,000 people lost their lives. However, because the atomic bomb carriedradiation, survivors continued to suffer and struggle both physically and emotionally 10, 50 and even 60 years later. This is
the source of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.
2. Differing physical impact and suffering depending on
age at time of bombing
The physical suffering and state of one’s life after thebombing differ depending on the life stage of that person at the9ing year.

their lives.
2. Endless anxiety: Watching people die of radiation sickness, a sense of anxiety that they too will eventually meet thesame fate.
3. Escape from “that scene”: People who witnessed scenes
from hell feel that they never want to experience the samething again. This feeling leads them to build a wall aroundtheir emotions. Trying to protect this wall, they refuse strong
light such as lightning and loud noises.
4. Feelings of respect and reverence for the dead: Feelingthat it could have been themselves that died, survivors see
those who lost their lives as people who died on their behalf,and hold respect and reverence for the victims of the bomb.
They strongly feel that mourning the dead fervently is the least
they can do to atone.

(Fig.4)Hiroshima City and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
asked for survivors to send in their “memorable scenes” fromthe bombing. The first time the call went out, which was 30
years after the bombing, 2,225 pictures were sent in. The second time was 57 years after the bombing, and 1,338 pictures
were collected (Fig.6). For example, the picture on the left
shows many people getting into water pool as fires approached, and there are dead people outside the water. This
image must have remained in the memory of the person whodrew it. The picture on the right depicts a scene where soldiers
in a boat are pulling up people who have died. All the corpses
floating in the water are facing upward because of putrefactiongas.

All ages: Chromosomal abnormalities and Keloids appeared as a mark of exposure to the bomb. Survivors’ lymphocytes are cultivated for two days, and mitosis of at least 100
cells is analyzed to calculate the chromosomal abnormality ratio. From the chromosomal abnormality ratio, we can estimate
the radiation dosage at the time of the bombing. Chromosomal
abnormalities are more apparent the closer the subject was tothe hypocenter at the time of the bombing. Fig.5 shows thechromosomal abnormalities seen in a person who was at the
Bank of Japan Hiroshima Branch at the time of the bombing.
In this example, the radiation dosage is estimated at 3,000mSv.
As chromosomal abnormalities continue over a long period oftime, the abnormalities can still be confirmed 30 or even 50
years after the bombing. It was possible to prove that there
were chromosomal abnormalities from the lymphocytes (Tcells, B cells), bone marrow cells, and skin cells where there
were Keloids. The important thing is that there was damage
from radiation in the stem cells of all tissues, and that thesewere passed on to the daughter cells after cell division. The issue when Keloids appear as an aftereffect is that they lead tocontracture in the arm and leg joints, causing impairment of
normal motor functions. Moreover, when Keloids occur on the
exposed sections of arms or legs there is a great emotional burden on the person affected. The surgeons at the time worked
very hard to help survivors recover their motor functions andappearance.

(Fig.6)

Fig.7 shows the results of a survey conducted for approximately 900 people in a region in the Hiroshima Prefecture in
November 2012. In the survey, 77% of the survivors responded that they had spoken to their children about their experienceof the bombing at least once. On the other hand, the number ofsurvivors who said that they had never spoken of their experience was as high as 23%. The reasons given included - they
had continued to keep their experience a secret, they did notwant to talk about it, or they did not want to remember it.

(Fig.5)(Fig.7)

3. Emotional suffering
The following four points may be made concerning theemotional suffering of atomic bomb survivors:
1. Feelings of regret and guilt: Feelings of guilt arisingfrom an awareness that they survived leaving behind students
and relatives who needed help. Regret that they were not able
to help people at the time – even though, naturally, they themselves were also suffering from the effects of the bomb andwere not in a position to help people. These feelings graduallychanged to a wish to apologize to and atone for those who lost10

passed away. After that, in 2005 H.O. contracted interstitial
pneumonia. It is not clear whether or not the large amount ofradiation he had been exposed to was the cause, but his condition did not improve despite regular doses of antitussive drugs
and steroids, and he suffered. In 2007, at home, he took his
own life.

4. Social suffering
Many atomic bomb survivors lost all their property in thebombing, and became poor. Suddenly, they lost their families,
became orphans, and then became solitary elderly people.
Because the survivors are frail, it was difficult for them to obtain work. For a certain period in the past, companies stopped
hiring survivors. The reason was that survivors need to takenumerous days off, and this affects their work. It was then thatmunicipalities started hiring survivors who could perform acertain level of work. The daily wage at the time was 240 yen,so these workers were called “Nikoyon” (means two 100 yen
coins and four 10 yen coins). Municipalities continued unemployment relief projects such as building riverbanks, preparing
soil, and tidying up parks.
In the 2012 survey of the living situation of the survivors,
it was found that one-quarter live alone, and combined withthose living only with their spouse accounted for 75%.
Recently the number of elderly couples living alone as a couple who are not atomic bomb survivors is also increasing.
However, even combined with those living alone it only accounts for 50%, which is not as high as the ratio seen amongst
atomic bomb survivors.

2. The life of Mr. A.I. after the bombing (Fig.9)
A.I. was 17 years old and in a streetcar 730m from the hypocenter together with his older brother when the bomb was
dropped. His brother died one week after the bombing. The radiation dosage estimated by a chromosomal analysis was
2,650mSv. Of six family members, two died from causes related to the bomb.
A.I. contracted atomic bomb cataracts in 1971. In 1997, hecontracted cancer of the larynx, and recovered a year and halflater through radiation therapy. In 2002, skin cancer appearedon his right shoulder. The following year, he contracted reallybad dermatomyositis. A.I. contracted aspiration pneumonia in
2003 and passed away at the age of 75.
A.I. said “The people of the world might know the name
‘Hiroshima’, but they don’t know what happened there”. Hestrongly felt that he should tell the world about the reality ofthe damage from the atomic bombing.

5. Inhumanity of the atomic bomb as seen in peopleʼs lives
Thus far I have reported systematically on the damage suffered by atomic bomb survivors. From here, I will discuss theinhumanity of nuclear weapons as seen throughout the lives ofthe survivors.

(Fig.9)

1. The life of Mr. H.O. after the bombing (Fig.8)
H.O. was 8 years old and in the basement of his elementary school 460m from the hypocenter when the bomb was
dropped. He miraculously survived. A chromosomal analysis
estimated the amount of radiation he was exposed to at
1,960mSv. Six of his nine family members died in the bombing. He was handed around among his relatives, and then enrolled at Hiroshima Prefectural War Orphans Foster Home
Ninoshima Gakuen as an atomic bombing orphan. After graduation, he made his living as a cleaner, and finally got married.
However, in 1991 he received operations twice for stomach
cancer, and had his whole stomach removed. As the esophagus
and bowel are directly connected, he continued to suffer from
reflux esophagitis and anemia. His eldest son died in a traffic
accident in 1998. In 2001, his first grandchild (his second son’seldest daughter) contracted leukemia. However, his second son
did not tell his father (H.O.) about his eldest daughter’s (H.O.’s
grandchild) illness. The reason he did not tell him is that hethought that his father might think that the reason his grandchild was sick was because he was an atomic bomb survivor,
and he did not want him to suffer. H.O. wanted to know about
his granddaughter’s illness, but decided not to ask his son
about it. Father and son were both trying to protect one another, and both experienced emotional conflict over the situation.
The granddaughter received a bone marrow transplant but

3. The life of Ms. K.I. after the bombing (Fig.10)
K.I. was 11 years old and in the first floor of the elementary school building 410m from the hypocenter at the time of thebombing. She miraculously survived. A chromosomal analysis
estimated her radiation dosage at 4,830mSv. Of the four members of her family, she was the only one to survive.
After the bombing she became an atomic bomb orphan,and for a period after that worked as a live-in employee. She
married in 1953 at the age of 19, and fell pregnant a number oftimes but had repeated premature deliveries and miscarriages.
She was divorced in 1965, and remarried in 1966. She went
through bankruptcy in 1997. Her husband had become theguarantor of a friend’s debt, was under pressure to repay thedebt, became unable to live even in public housing, and ended
up living in their car. The couple was later able to rebuild theirlives with support from the Christian church.
In terms of medical history, we know that when she underwent a detailed examination in 1973, K.I. had impaired hearing and atomic bomb cataracts. She had an operation for thyroid cancer in 1985, and also contracted restrictive lung disorder. In 1996 she had an operation for colon cancer, in 2001 an
operation for meningioma, and in 2008 contracted two small
tumors of neuron sheath (Schwannoma). Because of the neurilemma, K.I. suffered continued stinging pain similar to shingles, requiring medication. This situation remains unchanged
current at April 2014.

(Fig.8)The atomic bombing caused great chaos to the survivors’ dailyliving as well as their health. It is clear that the bombing con11

she also has a grandchild, and is living very well. Recently, shesent me a letter with a haiku, saying “I guess I’m an eightyyear-old who’s crawled through a quagmire to get this far”.
This person has a very positive outlook.
The person who said “I live on through the hardships” is awoman who had Keloids all over her face. She was over forty
when she got married, and has one child. She has lived throughthree cancers, and states firmly “I will survive”.
The person who said “It is important to have a kind heart”
was a man who experienced both the atomic bombing and theGreat Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake (Kobe Earthquake). At thetime of that earthquake, he was the head of the Chamber ofCommerce. After the earthquake he worked hard to achieve recovery, looking after people at the same time. Two years later
he collapsed from overwork, and now requires kidney dialysis.

(Fig.10)tinues to inflict constant suffering. I would like to emphasize
there that the cases described above are only three of the manycases of the atomic bomb survivors who are suffering.

Atomic bombing survivors clearly state that happiness can beachieved through positive thinking. Non-Japanese people
probably think that the survivors must talk about resentment
and bitterness, or that they must be demanding that the UnitedStates that dropped the bomb apologize for its actions, but thatis not the case. Thinking about the hardships that one has experienced in a positive way leads to feelings of kindness toward the people around one. It is we, who did not experience
the bombing, who are encouraged to be stronger by theirwords. The survivors truly teach us so much.

6. Encouraging words from survivors
After graduating from medical school in 1962, I was employed at the newly-established “Department of Internal
Medicine for Survivors” of Research Institute for Nuclear
Medicine and Biology, and have spent the 52 years since thentogether with atomic bomb survivors. In conversations withthe survivors, there were hints for scientific research and leads
for the further development of the research. Here I would liketo present some of the elements that can be found in casual remarks made by the survivors, reflecting a crystallization of that
person’s suffering, the emotional strength that helped them toovercome their hardships, and the way they lived their lives(Fig.11).

In conclusion
This article is a written summary of a speech that I gave at
an event held by an NPO the day before the 8th NPDI (NonProliferation and Disarmament Initiative) Ministerial Meetingon April 12, 2014. We must not forget that the record of no use
of nuclear weapons for 69 years has been achieved with hugesacrifices and constructive efforts made by the survivors of theatomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

(Fig.11)(Article contributed June 20, 2014)

ProfileNanao Kamada, M.D
Born 1937. Doctor of medicine. Professor emeritus at Hiroshima
University. Honorary member of Japan Radiation Research
Association, member of Hiroshima Prefecture Cancer Prevention
Promotion Council, director of the Japan chapter of International
Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). Winner of the
Chugoku Cultural Award, Takashi Nagai Peace Award, and the Japan
Cancer Society Award. Assumed current post in April 2001. Works include: Hiroshima no obaachan (“One Day in Hiroshima: An Oral
History”).

The person who made the comment “Life without a husband is hard” was a woman who continued to live alone afterlosing her husband in the atomic bombing. These are extremely serious words, reflecting just one part of the suffering that
this woman had experienced up to that point, and incorporating various emotions.
The person who said “People can achieve happiness bythinking positively” was a woman who had experienced poverty and overcome two cancers. She did not say anything about
what kind of life she had led in the ten years after the bombing. She had remarried. Six years ago, she came to visit me at
Kurakake Nozomi-en Atomic Bombing Nursing Home with
her two daughters. It was then that I immediately knew thereason why she had not spoken about a part of her life. The
face of her eldest daughter was not a Japanese face. Currently

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