― 巻頭特集 ―The Peace Movement from the Perspectiveof Japanese and Japanese American
A-Bomb Survivors’ Social Activism
Gloria R. Montebruno Saller

Honorary Director, American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors
Historian

1. Introduction

had not only in the former Soviet Union but alsoin Europe, and I started making connections

In January 2013, for the first time, I visited

between that accident and some personal life
events. On April 26th, 1986, the day of theMemorial Museum, I was able to listen to one

Chernobyl accident, I was a high school student. I

atomic bomb survivor’s experience. The survivor’s

lived in Torino, Italy. From my bedroom window,

experience was emotionally intense. With tears

I could enjoy an unobstructed view of the Montstreaming down my face, I left the museum’s

Blanc and the Alps. However, after the Chernobyl

premises and walked outside. It was a very cold

accident, I remember how we were not allowed to

winter day. I can still remember the cold andplay outside in the schoolyard while in school,snowy wind striking my face. Thinking about theand we could not ride our bicycles for a while asatomic bomb survivor’s personal experience, I

well. We just could not be outside. For a longwalked through Peace Park. Then, I sat on a bench

while, we could not eat fresh vegetables and drink

and while staring at the Atomic Bomb Dome I

fresh milk. We learned a new word: radioactivity.

thought about the events taking place in Hiroshima

Therefore, in 2014, in Hiroshima, I started

on August 6th, 1945. In the Prologue to his bookwondering whether there was a connection

Hiroshima Notes, Ōe Kenzaburō writes, “Thebetween the Chernobyl nuclear power plantrealities of Hiroshima can be forgotten only by

accident and my thyroid disease (which wasthose who dare to be deaf, dumb, and blind todiagnosed later on). I also started thinking whether

them.” I share Ōe’s opinion.

Before visiting

there was a connection among the radioactive

Hiroshima, I believed in the peaceful application

cloud that hovered above us in 1986 for a while;of nuclear energy. After visiting Hiroshima, I had

its effects on the people living below it; and thea change of heart.

premature death of acquaintances years later.

While

at

the

Hiroshima

1)

In the summer of 2014, I attended the

The following year, on September 21st, 2015, to“Hiroshima and Peace” workshop at Hiroshimacelebrate International Peace Day, I organized aCity University. It was during this workshop that I

Peace Symposium which was held on the campus

became familiar with scholarship on the devastatingof the university where I used to teach. On that

effects the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accidentday, the opening of the “Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s

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The Peace Movement from the Perspective of Japanese andJapanese American A-Bomb Survivors’ Social Activism

Peace

Hiroshima.

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21Experiences” exhibit also took place. Having

years old. According to the law, individuals withlearned of atomic bomb survivors residing indouble citizenship had to choose citizenship

Southern California, I was able to invite Sarashina

before turning 20.3)

Junji, Hiroshima survivor, to our campus event.

The American citizens of Japanese ancestry

Sarashina’s personal experience was emotionally

who returned to the USA were known as kibei.

moving to all the university students who attended

According to a book published in 1948 on thehis talk, and they all had tears in their eyes.

history of the Japanese American community in

Meeting Sarashina Junji marked the beginningSouthern California, the number of kibei returningof my involvement in activities with the American

to southern California after the war was about

Society of Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-Bomb

3,000.4) However, it is impossible to estimate how

Survivors (ASA), and it also marked the beginningmany of those that returned to the USA wereof my research into the history of the social

atomic bomb survivors. The first written record of

movement in Southern California to request

a Japanese American atomic bomb survivor dates

assistance from Japan for medical treatment forback to May 16th, 1947, when Nishikawa Tohru

atomic bomb survivors residing overseas.

arrived in San Francisco. The Los Angeles based

In my presentation, I am going to introduce thenewspaper Rafu Shimpō reported Nishikawa’s

Committee of Atomic Bomb Survivors, US

personal experience. It was the first time the(CABSUS); the American Society of Hiroshima

Japanese community in the USA learned from an

and Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors (ASA), which

eyewitness testimony about the destruction caused

separated from CABSUS in the early 1990s; ASA’s

by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.5)

former President, Sueishi Kaz; and lastly, I will

Japanese American atomic bomb survivors

introduce the current President of ASA, Sarashina

carried both physical and emotional scars. They

Junji.

often experienced isolation. They became withdrawn.
Both Japanese American survivors and Japanesesurvivors residing in the USA were dissatisfied

2. CABSUS (Committee ofAtomic Bomb Survivors, US)
and ASA (American Society ofHiroshima and Nagasaki
A-Bomb Survivors).

with American doctors. These survivors thought
American doctors lacked an understanding of how
the atomic bomb affected their bodies. Manysurvivors believed American doctors did not know
about Atomic Bomb Disease.6)
On August 6th, 1965, in the “Announcements”

According to some historical records, on

section of the Rafu Shimpō, Okai Tomoe announced

August 6th, 1945, there were about 3,000 Japanesethe formation of the group “Friends of Hibakusha.”7)

American citizens in the city of Hiroshima.2) Born

A Hiroshima native, Okai Tomoe was an atomic

in the United States, these American children ofbomb survivor. During the war, she resided inJapanese ancestry were sent to Japan to learnŌsaka, but around July 1945, while pregnant, sheJapanese and Japanese culture. In almost all cases,

returned to Hiroshima with her husband. Her

they lived with their Japanese grandparents. The

husband passed away in June 1946.8) At theparents, residing in the USA, expected their

beginning of the 1960s, she married a Japanesechildren to return to the USA before turning 20

American man (who was also a kibei), and with立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 12

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her daughter Taeko, she moved to the United

association’s bylaws, the group split.16) In 1993,

States. Okai Tomoe was very vocal in bringing up

the American Society of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

the distressed conditions of atomic bomb survivors

A-Bomb Survivors (ASA) was established.17)

living outside Japan.9)

ASA is a non-profit organization. ASA supports

On October 13, 1971, the Committee of Atomic

atomic bomb survivors residing in Southern

Bomb Survivors, US (CABSUS) was officially

California and Hawaii. In 2012, the Southernestablished. Shimoda Kaname (Secretary), Arai

California chapter of ASA had 263 members (someSatoruTomoeof the members resided in Arizona, Utah, and(President) are considered the founding members

Nevada). In the Hawaii chapter of ASA, there wereof CABSUS.

Among CABSUS members was

100 members. ASA’s goals are two-fold: to provide

Sueishi Kaz who, at the time, did volunteer officepublic services to atomic bomb survivors in North

work.

America; and to keep sharing with the wider

(Vice
10)

President),

and

Okai

American community what it means to be an

Hiroshima and asked Mayor Yamada to dispatch

atomic bomb survivor.18) This group also assists

Hiroshima-based doctors to Southern California.11)

survivors with obtaining specific documents and

CABSUS’ activities were limited to the achievement

health examinations both in the USA and in Japan.

of two objectives. One objective was the dispatch

Over a period of many years, ASA has providedof medical doctors from Hiroshima to provide

support to survivors applying for the Atomic

medical health examinations to atomic bomb

Bomb Certificate (techō); it has helped withsurvivors in the United States. The other objective

requesting the dispatch of the medical envoy fromwas to promote medical relief legislation in theJapan on behalf of survivors; and it has provided

United States on behalf of Japanese American

help to survivors requesting medical certificatesatomic bomb survivors.12)

from American doctors. ASA facilitates for all

The first official medical examination tookthese documents to be submitted to the appropriate

place in 1977 under the sponsorship of the Los

agency: the Consulate General in Los Angeles; theAngeles County Medical Association (LACMA).13)

Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare in Japan;

However, medical relief legislation on behalf of

the Japan Public Health Association; Hiroshima

Japanese American atomic bomb survivors in the

Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture; Hiroshima

United States did not materialize.14) Toward theCity and Nagasaki City; Hiroshima Prefecture

end of the 1970s, there were about 1,000 atomic

Medical Association; Hiroshima Internationalbomb survivors living in North America (USA andCouncil for Health Care of the Radiation-exposed

Canada). About 500 resided in California. About(HICARE); and Hiroshima District Court. Since

300 resided in Hawaii. The rest of the survivors

1992, ASA has made arrangements for the medical

lived on the east coast of the United State and in

health examinations that take place every other

Canada.

year. The health examinations taking place in

15)

From 1977 to 1992, CABSUS carried out theorganization and implementation of the healthSouthern California and in Hawaii rely on the
support from local volunteers.19)

medical examinations in North America. In 1993,

For the last 45 years, memorial services for thedue to difference of opinions among CABSUS’

victims of the atomic bombs have taken place inboard

Los Angeles, first at Nishihonganji Buddhist

members

立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 13

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to

the

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The Peace Movement from the Perspective of Japanese andJapanese American A-Bomb Survivors’ Social Activism

On October 3rd, 1967, Okai Tomoe visited

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Temple, and from 1993 at Koyasan Betsuin

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Experience.” ASA

Buddhist Temple. Representatives from Hiroshimamembers will play a role in this exhibit’s events by

and Nagasaki also attend the services. Every year,

conveying, in a series of public events, theira guest speaker is chosen from the community.

personal experiences as Japanese American

Guest speakers are chosen according to theirsurvivors of the atomic bombs.

contribution, in the USA as well as abroad, to raiseawareness about social and medical challenges
atomic bomb survivors have faced. In 2014, Sasaki

3. Sueishi Kaz.

Sadako’s older brother Sasaki Masahiro was theguest speaker. In 2016, I also had the honor ofbeing selected as guest speaker.

014
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21Among atomic bomb survivors residing overseas,
there are also Japanese American citizens. In the

From the very beginning, ASA spent a lot of

early 1950s, a number of so-called “Overseas

time in local schools to promote peace education

Hibakusha” lived in Southern California. These

activities. ASA members deliver lectures recounting

survivors did not talk about their atomic bomb

their personal experiences as atomic bomb

experience. It was often the case that survivors’

survivors. Sueishi Kaz, the previous president ofhealth problems would be dismissed as non-

ASA, received from the Japanese government theexistent or made up. It was also the case that

title of “Special Communicator for a World without

American health insurance companies could

Nuclear Weapons.” In order to spread theircancel survivors’ health insurance policies on themessage of peace, ASA members give speeches allbasis of the “pre-existing condition” clause had theseover the United States and they go to elementary

survivors stated to be atomic bomb survivors.22) In

schools, middle schools, high schools, universities,

order not lose their health insurance coverage,organizations and associations alike.

many overseas survivors hid the details of their

On August 8th, 2018, ASA received from the city

medical history.23) Moreover, among this group ofof Los Angeles a Certificate of Recognition for its

survivors, there were many who felt it wasdedication and effort to promote world peace andchallenging to convey details of their health issues

a world without nuclear weapons.

to doctors who did not speak Japanese. Until the20)

This year, 2019, ASA received a grant fromearly 1970s, there was no reference in US history

Keiro. Established in 1961 with the purpose tobooks of American civilians’ presence in Hiroshima

provide medical care to Issei (first-generation

and Nagasaki at the time the atomic bombs wereJapanese), Keiro’s current mission is to improve

dropped.24)

the quality of life of older people in the region.

In the second half of the 1960s, the atomic

With the grant received from Keiro, ASA organizedbomb survivors residing in Southern California

a lunch gathering of atomic bomb survivors at

came together to form the aforementioned CABSUS

Koyasan Betsuin Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles’

with the intent of requesting medical relief fromLittle Tokyo to provide care and companionship toboth Japan and the United States. CABSUS

senior citizens.

members were Japanese American citizens and21)

In November of this year, the JapaneseJapanese citizens residing abroad. Sueishi was a

American National Museum in Los Angeles will

CABSUS member. “From Monday to Friday, I was

open the exhibit “Under the Mushroom Cloud.

a full-time volunteer” she said, thus fully

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participating in the association’s activities.25) On“Good morning, angel;” however, she could see

March 31, 1977, the medical examinations forsomething white below the plane. Because a beamsurvivors residing overseas started in Los Angeles.

of light flashed through, she immediately laid face

From 1977 to 2017, Japanese doctors have visited

down on the ground, and she lost consciousness.

North America twenty times. These medical

When she regained consciousness, the lower half

examinations were also the results of Sueishi’sof her body felt heavy. She had no pain; however,efforts. As time went by, Sueishi started thinking

splinters were lodged in her hands and feet, andabout the delicate issue of how to explain to

she was bleeding. She pulled out those splinters.

children and her own grandchildren the truth of

Her father came out of the garden, and he had

the atomic bombs.

incurred severe burns all over his body. Their

26)

Peace education became themost important goal in her life.27)

house had collapsed. She could see people walking

Sueishi Kaz was an American citizen. She was

as if in slow motion. There were no people

born at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena

running, and nobody was crying. The streets were(California) on January 26th, 1927. Her Japanese

quiet. She saw people injured. There were people

parents owned and ran a grocery store. In the fallwith red-blistered faces, and there were charredof the year she was born, her parents decided tobodies, and dead people. No one was asking for

return to Japan, and they took up residence in

help. The riverbanks were crowded with people,

Hiroshima, and more specifically in the Minami

and those individuals who were severely burnt

Kannon area of the city. Her younger brother was

jumped in the river.
Sueishi’s younger brother was 16 years old. He

years were filled with happiness. She would often

was a student at Hiroshima Technical Juniorhear stories about America from her father. Her

College. That day he had class and went to school.

father would say, “America is a wonderful place. It

At one kilometer from the hypocenter, he wasis a rich country. In order to protect themselves,pinned down one of the detached school buildings,

people work very hard, and there are only kindand he was bleeding profusely. Afterwards, helped

people.”28) When the war started, food becameby a friend, he was able to return home. After ascarce, and everyday life was difficult. Sueishi

while, the black rain started to come down. Thatenlisted in the female volunteer corps, and she

evening, Sueishi’s friend’s younger brother had

decided to work at Mitsubishi factory. Her work

not returned home. Sueishi decided to go with her

was mostly office work.

to look for her brother. With difficulty, they finally29)

On August 6, 1945, Sueishi was running aarrived in the vicinity of Aioi Bridge. There,

fever, and she took the day off from work. Thatsoldiers were lining up many corpses. Thinking

day, after having breakfast, she started talking toback about that night, Sueishi recounted theher friend who lived across the street. In the often

following:clear and blue summer sky, one could see the“Among the many corpses, there were theAmerican military’s B29s as they were flying

dead bodies of a mother and her child. Only

above. The planes’ fuselage would shine in their

the mother’s back and the child’s belly werebeautiful silver color. Sueishi would often wave at

the color of the skin; the rest of their skin was

the B29s and every day she would whisper, “Goodscorched, and it looked like it could peel off.

morning, angel.” On that day, she also whispered

The mother carried her child on her back, and立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 15

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only the part of the skin that was in contact

in Los Angeles started organizing, and it was thewith one another was not burnt. Although a

beginning of overseas survivors’ activities. Sueishi

feeling of numbness ended up prevailing,

was a member of CABSUS, and she started getting

when I saw the dead bodies of that mother andinvolved with the group. The group’s activities

her child it was heartbreaking.”

consisted of requesting medical assistance for30)

survivors and obtaining A-Bomb Survivor Health016
立命館大学国際平和ミュージアム紀要
第号

21Life after the atomic bomb was full ofCertificate. With these two goals in mind, shechallenges. With her family, Sueishi lived in awould go to Japan to appeal to the Ministry ofbarrack. Her father’s health worsened, andHealth and Welfare. The result was the Medical

Sueishi’s own health became an issue. Her lymph

Health Examination that started in 1977.

nodes swelled and hurt. She was also somewhat

From 1993, she was ASA member. Afterwards,

anemic. She laid in bed for almost one year. In theshe became ASA’s second president. The Japanesesummer of 1946, her physical condition improved,

government conferred to her the title of Special

and she stepped outside, and a little at the time

Envoy. Her most important activity became to talkresumed her everyday life.

to young people about world peace. She carried

Sueishi had an interest in Western dressmaking.

out many peace education activities. She went to

In 1949, to study Western dressmaking, she wentdeliver lectures to students in elementary schools

to Hawaii where she had relatives. Then, after

as well as to university students. She went tograduating from Western dressmaking school, sheseveral Southern California elementary schools.

moved to Pasadena, where she was born. She took

She talked to the children, and with them shehome economics courses at Pasadena City College.

would draw peace postcards, or she would write

After a short time, by chance, she met her future

peace letters, and she would share with them her

husband, a Japanese American Nisei by the namemessage of peace. Moreover, she conveyed toof Sueishi Masu. Masu was born in San Jose,

university students all over the United States her

California, and his parents were originally fromown atomic bomb experience. She received

Kumamoto. When she turned 30, Sueishi married

invitations from USC, UCLA, UC Irvine, Soka

Masu.

Gakkai University, Brown University (just to

Sueishi’s health deteriorated after she got

mention a few). Her lectures would leave a deep

married. Nevertheless, at 31, she became pregnant.

impression on people. She was interviewed by

She was anxious throughout her pregnancy.

Japanese and American newspapers, and by

Because of her personal experience with theJapanese and American television channels. In

atomic bomb, she worried about the baby’s health;

2011, for her world peace activities and for her

however, she delivered a healthy baby girl:talks on behalf of atomic bomb survivors, she

Christiane. For one year after giving birth, Sueishi’s

received from the Japanese Emperor the Orders ofhealth was unstable. She received a diagnosis of

the Rising Sun. She passed away on June 12, 2017.

“neurosis.”31) Her body was weak, and it was

She was a tenacious and strong-willed woman.

challenging doing work around the house. As for

When someone would say, “It is impossible,” shethe diagnosis of neurosis, she started wondering

would usually reply, “It is possible.” She could notwhether it was the wrong diagnosis.

drive, and she was not proficient in English.

In the early 1960s, the atomic bomb survivors

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on the island. Sarashina’s older sister Tetsuko waspeace activities in the United States.
Although she did not want to stand out, it wasborn on the island of Maui. In 1936, the whole

because of her that many Japanese American

family moved to Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.

women joined CABSUS. Sueishi worried thatIn 1937, with his mother, brothers and sisters,

CABSUS and ASA would become politicized, andSarashina went to Hiroshima. He was 7 years old.

that individuals with political intentions would

Sometimes, his father would go back to Hiroshima

end up controlling the groups’ actions.

As forto visit. When the war started, Sarashina’s motherher leadership, it shows in her attending public

and sisters moved to the temple in Takadagun.

hearings; giving speeches in public places; and inSarashina settled in the school dorm of Hiroshima

her belief in the realization of a world without

Prefecture First Middle School in Midori-machi.

nuclear weapons.33)

He was also employed at the Asahi weapon factory

32)

in Kannon-machi. As mobilized student, he built
antiaircraft gun’s bullets.

4. Sarashina Junji.

When the war started in 1941, the American
FBI characterized Japanese monks at Nishihonganji
temple in Honolulu as suspicious Japanese spies;

became the president of ASA. When ASA wasaccordingly, Sarashina’s father was arrested. Fromestablished, he held the title of Secretary. As

Hawaii, his father was transferred to the mainland

Secretary,theand moved from one internment camp to another.

correspondence with representatives from theSarashina’s father was forced into the camps until

Hiroshima prefectural offices and the Hiroshima

the end of the war.34)

he

was

also

in

chargeofPrefecture Medical Association. Before becoming

In Hiroshima, his eldest brother Kanji waspresident of ASA, he was a very active member.

recruited as commissioned officer of the Japanese

For a long time, he attended many public events,

Imperial Navy. His brother Takuji was recruited inand he gave his personal eyewitness account of

the Japanese Imperial Army and sent to Manchuria.

the dropping of the atomic bomb.

When the war ended, Takuji became a prisoner ofSarashina was born on the island of Maui, in
Hawaii, on January 29, 1929. His father was

war in Russia and was sent to Siberia. He returned
to Japan in 1947.

originally form Takadagun, in Hiroshima prefecture

The following video excerpt is from a recording(known today as Akitakata city). His father was a

produced in 2017 by Hiroshima National Peacemonk for the True Pure Land Buddhism (Jōdo

Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. This

Shinshū)chapterofKyoto’s

Nishihonganji

Buddhist temple. In 1916, he was appointed to017

The Peace Movement from the Perspective of Japanese andJapanese American A-Bomb Survivors’ Social Activism

When Sueishi passed away, Sarashina Junji

is Sarashina as he talks about his personal
experience on August 6, 1945.

Hawaii and moved to the island of Oahu with hiswife. Sarashina’s eldest sister (Mariko), eldest“It is a day impossible to forget. Walking

brother (Kanji), and older brother (Takuji) were

through the city of Hiroshima with 4 or 5born on the island of Oahu. In 1924, the family

students from my dorm, at 8 o’clock in the

moved to Lahaina, on the island of Maui, as

morning, we arrived at the Asahi weapon

Sarashina’s father was in charge of completing thefactory in Kannon-machi. We went into therenovation of the Nishihonganji Buddhist temple

factory where we could see Mount Eba on the立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 17

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other side. Then, when I exited the factory, I

her dead baby is still deeply imprinted infelt something like a very orange flash of light.

Sarashina’s mind. When he returned to the dorm,

And then by the same shock wave I was thrown

he was told by one of the teachers to help out withcompletely on the ground. Buildings collapsing;

the cremation of corpses. Sarashina collectedtrash flying in all directions; glass flying

wood, and the adults burnt the corpses. Aboutaround. The strange thing was I did not hearfour days later, he went back to Takadagun where

the sound of the blast. Although I did not hear

he was reunited with his mother and his sisters.

the blast, I remember being thrown on the

Because he was very tired, he slept for threeground, and making my way out of the lumber

consecutive days. In November 1945, his father

I thought to myself, “Indeed! That was a direct

was released from the internment camp, and fromhit.” I thought “First place to go is the doctor’s

San Francisco, by boat, arrived in Yokohama.

office.”018

Sarashina

had

AmericanandJapanesecitizenship; however, his intention was to return

many glass windows and in there a nurse

to the USA.36) In 1949, he returned to Maui, in

wearing a white coat, with glass all over her

Hawaii. He was in school for about three terms.

body and covered in blood, she was pointing toSeven months later, he moved to Honolulu where

her mouth and moaning; then, I saw a 3-4

he worked as an announcer for the Japanese radio

centimeter glass shard piercing her tongue andstation KAHU. When the Korean war started, heI remember how scared I felt when I pulled it

was recruited by the United States, and provided

out. All I could do was to give her bandages

support to the Defense Language Institute in

and gauzes.

Monterey, California, where he was a Japanese
language specialist. He taught Japanese; Japanese-working, the teacher told us we were dismissed,

English translation; and pronunciation. When theand it was ok to go back to the dorm. With myKorean war ended, he was hired by Northrop

4-5 dorm friends, we did try to cross the bridge

Corporation in Southern California, and he worked

to Hiroshima city. Dead bodies filled up thefor this company for 30 years. After the Koreanbridges; it was almost impossible to walkwar, Sarashina married his wife Kiyoko, a21

because of the many corpses. In the river, there

Hiroshima native. Sarashina has one son and two

were about 500-600 people, alive and dead,grandchildren.

号

When I went inside the factory where I was

第立命館大学国際平和ミュージアム紀要

The doctor’s office was a building withfloating; and there were many people lying
down in the sandpits.

Sarashina was a member of CABSUS. In 1992,
he became a member of ASA. After he retired, he

The city of Hiroshima was a sea of fire, andbecame more involved with ASA activities. Fromit was impossible to enter the city. Therefore,

2003, he has helped with filling out the applications

again, we returned to the factory and we spent

for A-Bomb Health Certificate. In 2017, he became

one night there. I was thankful for the rice ballthe third president of ASA. This past January, he

I received, because I was hungry.”35)

turned 90; and yet, he is always busy. This past
July, he went to Phoenix, Arizona, where he told

The following day, on August 7, Sarashina

his atomic bomb experience to an audience of 300

entered the city. Images of death were everywhere

people. In November, the health examinations will

to be seen. The image of a dead mother hugging

take place in Los Angeles; accordingly, he is still

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bomb survivors how these bombs can havevery busy.
Furthermore, on November 9, he will give a

bad effects. Whether in the United States or in

lecture at the Japanese American National

Japan, I understand very well we are in a

Museum. As for peace education activities, hedifficult position. However, as an atomic bomb

goes to schools, universities, community centerssurvivor, I hope for a world without nuclear

and other locations; he gives his oral testimony ofweapons.”37)

the atomic bomb; and he lectures in favor of aworld without nuclear weapons.
The following video excerpt conveys Sarashina’s
message.

To confirm all the necessary information in mypresentation, Sarashina invited me to his home,
and we spent almost eight hours together. I think
Sarashina would have liked to be here today. His“As an atomic bomb survivor, I can convey

encouraging support is very important to me.

the fact that the atomic bomb is a cruel weapon

The 2019 board members of ASA are: Sarashina

that kills even babies. Particularly, as a parent,

Junji (President);Seino Midori (Secretary); Okabe

I want to ask to future generation of young

Taeko (Auditor); Nakano Hiroko (Treasurer), Miho

people, “What would you all do in the case aDarrell (Photographer and Director); Gloria R.

hydrogen bomb or atomic bomb was dropped

Montebruno

on you?” “What would you do in the case your

Historian); Kakita Howard, and Seino Toshiyuki.

Saller(Honorary

Directorandchildren did not come home?” Whatever mightchildren. At the expense of sacrificing one’s

5. Conclusion.

own life, you would want to look for yourparents and your siblings; humans must findIn the history of humanity, the history of

their loved ones. I am talking to you as a factoverseas atomic bomb survivors is a very importantthat could happen to us and that could happen

one to tell. It makes us think deeply about humanto our grandchildren in the future. Now that

dignity. What we can learn from overseas atomic

we know how cruel nuclear weapons are, I

bomb survivors’ experiences and from their peacewant to convey to all of you that it is important

activities is that war is not the right answer, andnot to use nuclear weapons to obtain world

the use of nuclear weapons is not a solution either.

peace, and I would like to convey the following

As for me, I shall continue to share their

to you: were we not to act now, what would

experiences with the atomic bomb, and were myhappen to your grandchildren, and to yourefforts contribute to peace promoting activities, itgreat-grandchildren?

would make me happy.

The Peace Movement from the Perspective of Japanese andJapanese American A-Bomb Survivors’ Social Activism

happen, you would want to look for your019

In fact, now, we are in a difficult position.
Japanese people living in Japan, and American
people living in the United States have now
become sensitive to so-called atomic bombsand hydrogen bombs. Maybe these kinds of

Acknowledgments: Mitsuko Yano Hays (Japanese
Language Consultant).
1)1981), 23.

weapons are necessary for the country’s defense.
As a result, I think it can be said by atomic

立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 19

Kenzaburo Ōe, Hiroshima Notes. Translated by David L.
Swain and Toshi Yonezawa (New York: Grove Press,

2)

Rinjiro Sōdei, Where We the Enemy? American Survivors

20/03/12 14:57

of Hiroshima (Boulder: Westview Press, 1998), 17.

29) Ōnishi, (December 2005), 38.

3)

Sōdei, 57.

30) Kaz Sueishi wrote her own recollections in a document

4)

Sōdei, 57.

she sent to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic

5)

Sōdei, 54.

6)

Sōdei, 89.

7)

The announcement appeared in the Rafu Shinpō and in

Author)the Kashū Mainichi, two Japanese language publications

31) Sōdei, 89.

in California. Sōdei, 88.
8)Taeko Okabe (daughter of Tomoe Okai) in discussion withthe author, August 21, 2019 (La Mirada, California).

9)

Chikako Itō, Hazama ni ikite: gojūnen. Zaibei hibakusha
no ayumi (Walnut, California: Beikoku HiroshimaNagasaki Genbaku Hibakusha Kyōkai, 1995), 3.

10) Sōdei, 95.
11) Itō, 57.
12) Sōdei, 105-121; 164-174.
13) Itō, 69.
14) Sōdei, 164-174.

020

Bomb Victims to keep on record. This document isavailable in the library of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hallfor the Atomic Bomb Victims. (English translation by

32) Sōdei, 143-153. In personal conversations with the author,
Ms. Sueishi reaffirmed time and again this point.
33) Sōdei, 187.
34) Sarashina Junji in conversation with the author, August30, 2019 (Buena Park, California).
35) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb
Victims, Sarashina Junji, video 10:09-14:16 https://www.
global-peace.go.jp/picture/pic_syousai.php?gbID=
1192&dt=191129214326 (English translation by Author)
36) Sarashina Junji in conversation with the author, August30, 2019 (Buena Park, California).

15) Taiji Okada, Michihiro Miyanishi, and Hiroaki Yamada.

37) Hiroshima Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb

“Result of Health Survey in Atomic Bomb Survivors

Victims, Sarashina Junji, video 35:33-39:00 https://www.

Residing in California.” Hiroshima Igaku 30.9 (1977),

global-peace.go.jp/picture/pic_syousai.php?gbID=

3-35.

1192&dt=191129214326 (English translation by Author)

16) Sōdei, 149.
17) Itō, 45-47.

第Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors.” Keiro.

21

November 14, 2019 https://www.keiro.org/grants-news/

号

立命館大学国際平和ミュージアム紀要

18) This is one of the main precepts of the association’sconstitution.
19) Seino Midori (Secretary of ASA) in conversation with theauthor, August 31, 2019 (Rancho Palos Verdes, California).
20) “Baltimore and Los Angeles City Councils Vote to Support
Nuclear Disarmament.” Physicians for Social
Responsibility. August 13, 2018 https://www.psr.org/
blog/2018/08/13/baltimore-and-los-angeles-city-councilsvote-to-support-nuclear-disarmament/21) “Supporting the Strong Ties of Hibakusha: American

american-society-of-a-bomb-survivors
22) Sōdei, 97-98.
23) Sōdei, 92.
24) There was information on American military personnel.
Gar Alperovitz, The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
(New York: Vintage Books, 1996), 613.
25) Ryōko Ōnishi, “Watashi-tachi wa jinrui saigo no
hibakusha de ate hoshii” Sueishi Kaz (1). Nikkei bunka
wa gukumu gekkanshi. December 2005. Issue no. 368(December 2005), 37.
26) Christiane Takeuchi (daughter of Kaz Sueishi) in phone
conversation with the author, October 8, 2017.
27) Christiane Takeuchi (daughter of Kaz Sueishi) in phone
conversation with the author, October 8, 2017.
28) Ōnishi, (December 2005), 37.

立命館大学国際平和ミュー�アム紀要_本文.indb 20

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