D 28.05.2010 modtaget fra John Avery <avery.john.s@ gmail.com>

10 overlevende efter atombombesprængingerne i Hiroshima og Nagasaki

Besøger København 1. juni.

Opdateret pressemeddelelse med mere detaljerede oplysninger:

Den 1. juni kommer 10 såkaldte "Hibakusha" ("Jeg overlevede bomben")

til København med Peace Boat. De 10 Hibakusha er mere end 70 år gamle

og overlevende efter bombningerne af Hiroshima og Nagasaki i 1945.

Mange af dem har trods sygdomme dedikeret deres liv til at advare

verden mod brugen af atomvåben gennem deres egne gribende beretninger

om hvorfor det aldrig mere må ske. De bliver modtaget på Københavns

Rådhus af kultur og fritidsborgmester Pia Allerslev og skal derefter

til Christianshavns Gymnasium og SGI Nordisk Kulturcenter på Østerbro.

Program for besøget:

Program 1.juni 9.00 til 16.30

9.00 til 9.45 (kun journalister)

Rådhuset, Rådhuspladsen 1, 1599 København V. Værelse 86.

To overlevende fra Hiroshima og Nagasaki bombningerne, også kaldet

Hibakushas, bliver taget imod af Kultur og fritidsborgermester Pia

Allerslev på Københavns Rådhus. Efterfølgende mulighed for interview

med japansk/engelsk oversætter tilstede.

For yderligere information kontakt:

Meri Joyce: telefon 2794 7468 - international koordinator Peace Boat

Camilla Cecilie Valeur: telefon 24873836 - SGI Danmark

10.00 til 11.30 (alle interesserede er velkomne)

Otte Hibakushas besøger Christianshavn gymnasium, Christian IV sal, som er i et

anneks i Prinsessegade 62, indgang H, på den anden side af gaden I forhold til

Christianshavns Gymnasiums hovedbygning,

10.00-10.05 Velkomsttale af Lektor Gorm Gunnarsen

10.05-10.15 Fredssange sunget af SGI kor

10.15-11.30 Fortællinger fra overlevende efter Hiroshima og Nagasaki

bombningerne (Hibakushas)

Dansk oversættelse.

Mulighed for efterfølgende interview.

15.00 til 16.30

En gruppe Hibakushas besøger SGI's Nordisk Kulturcenter, A.F.

Kriegersvej 3, 2100

København Ø.

15.00-15.20 præsentation af aktiviteterne og historien bag Peace Boat

(Peace Boat)

15.20-16:30 Fortællinger fra overlevende efter Hiroshima og Nagasaki

bombningerne (Hibakushas)

For yderligere information kontakt:

Jan Møller, 61-789299

Peace Boat 69ende verdensrejse med besøg i København:

Peace Boat sejlede fra Japan den 16. april 2010 og skal besøge 22

anløbshavne i 20 lande rundt om i verden, herunder København den

1.juni. Med om bord er ti Hibakusha (atombombe overlevende). Rejsen

finder sted på samme tidspunkt som USA og Rusland skal underskrive en

ny START-aftale og USA presser på for at få en styrket

ikke-spredningsaftale vedtaget i FN. Fredsbådens rejse har et stærkt

fokus på nedrustning af kernevåben og hvordan man kan skabe en

fredelig , atomvåbenfri verden. Skibet vil vende tilbage til Japan den

25. juli, 2010. For mere information: www.peaceboat.org

Peace Boat: er en japansk NGO, der foretager sine vigtigste

aktiviteter gennem en lejet passagerskib, som rejser rundt i verden

på fredsmissioner. Tre verdensrejser og en kortere rejse i Asien er

normalt organiseret hvert år. De tre måneders lange verdensrejser har

typisk følgeskab af 800 deltagere og besøg i 15-20 lande.

Information om de 10 Hibakusha

Name: YAGYU Kentaro

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: May 10, 1942

Place of Birth: Onomichi-shi, Hiroshima

Place of Exposure: Ushita-cho, Hiroshima

Kind of Exposure: Direct Exposure

Situation of Exposure:

I was three years and three months old at the time, and taking a nap lying

between my parents under a mosquito net. The blast blew the roof off, and my

father - who had been near a window - was pierced with shards of glass. My

mother and I were not harmed. We evacuated to the mountains as the fire drew

near.

Life after the A-bomb

My father, who had gone into the city the next day, soon after suffered from

leukemia. My mother was also affected by the bombing, and was listless for a

while but later recovered. I married and together with my wife had two children

and three grandchildren. Luckily they are healthy and at this stage seem to be

unaffected by radiation.

Peace Activities

Since retirement, I have been serving as secretary of the Ashiya City Hibakusha

Association, which has 80 members. In 2008 I was also invited to participate in

the the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony as a representative of Hyogo

Prefecture by the Japan Confederation of A- and H- Bomb Sufferers Organisation

(Nihon Hidankyo). I also visit local peace groups to give testimony of my

experiences.

Name: OGINO Mihoko

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: April 2, 1943

Place of Birth: Hiroshima City

Kind of Exposure: Direct Exposure

Place of Exposure: Niho-cho, Hiroshima City

Situation of Exposure:

I was directly exposed to the A-bomb. The blast blew away the building I was in,

every window shattered, and my leg was injured by the glass shards.

Life after the A-bomb

It is said that Japan went into war with the US despite lacking resources, and

was almost destined to lose. The living conditions were poor all over Japan. My

father was in poor health, but he did not want to talk of his experiences of the

A-bomb to us or to others.

Peace Activities

Hibakusha are aging, and our average age is now 75 years old. I feel responsible

as one of the survivors to give testimony and take part in peace activities.

Little by little I have started to listen to people's stories and take part in

peace activities.

Name: TSUKAMOTO Michiko

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: September 16, 1934

Place of Birth: Hiroshima

Kind of Exposure: Exposed during rescue work

Place of Exposure: On an island in the Seto Inland Sea, Hiroshima

Situation of Exposure:

I was born in Hiroshima in 1934, and when I was ten years old (Grade 5 in

Primary School) I was evacuated to the remote island where my father was

originally from. Both of my parents were teachers, however my mother left her

job for the sake of me and my older brother and moved with us to the island.

August 5 was my father's 42nd birthday, and so my mother had travelled to

Hiroshima to have a small celebration with him. My father never returned after

leaving for work the next morning, August 6. My mother was blown away when the

bomb was dropped as she was mobilised for labour service that morning. She was

buried under a large building with a serious injury to her head, and burns to

her arms. She stayed outside in that state for around a week, and was walking

through the city searching through piles of corpses to find my father. When she

reached her physical limits she returned to the island, but at the same time as

returning home she collapsed.

Life after the A-Bomb

For around the next eight months, my mother was seemingly endlessly in the

hospital. My brother and I also stayed overnight there, and helped to treat the

over one hundred people who arrived every day carried on stretchers from

Hiroshima in terrible states. We did as much as we could to help, including

feeding her fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Finally my mother was able to return

to her teaching position, and despite suffering from radiation disease continued

to dedicate her life to children for the next 16 years until her difficult life

ended when she was 52 years old.

Peace Activities

I believe that it is my mission to share with the world about the sad, pointless

deaths of my parents, the importance of peace, and the terror of nuclear

weapons. Until now I have given testimonies at many activities including

churches, schools and local community gatherings. Outside of Japan, I have also

participated in events giving testimony at an exhibition held at the United

Nations Headquarters and at Columbia University.

Name: KAJIYAMA Yoshi

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: September 12,1941

Place of Birth: Hijiyama-honmachi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima

Kind of Exposure: Direct Exposure

Place of Exposure: Ushita-cho, Hiroshima

Situation of Exposure:

Because I was very young (3 years old) when the A-bomb was dropped, I have no

memory of my parents - my father died in battle and my mother by the bomb. I

grew up with the constant fear of the effects of radiation on myself.

Life after the A-bomb

I did not feel particularly unhappy as I was with my grandparents who

wholeheartedly took care of me and my brothers. After they both died I looked

back and realised how difficult it must have been for them to do so.

Peace Activities

Nuclear weapons allow humans to cause indiscriminative destruction and slaughter

in a massive area upon their will. Those who are lucky and survive the attack

also suffer from the effects of radiation for generations. This is terribly sad

and unfortunate. I believe humanity will have no future unless all nuclear

weapons are abolished from this earth.

Many people have built a movement and united to call for the abolition of

nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, the struggle has not yet ended. Although my

contribution is but humble, I hope to learn more about the situation and play a

part in the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Name: NAKATANI Etsuko

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: October 27, 1949 (SECOND-GENERATION HIBAKUSHA)

Place of Birth: Hiroshima

Exposure of Family members: Affected by radiation after entering the city after

the bomb

Situation of Exposure:

Both of my parents and their family lived in Hatsukaichi, 16 km away from

Hiroshima, so they were not exposed to the A-bomb directly. However, my father

entered Kannon-cho in Hiroshima City in the morning of August 6 to investigate

the situation of his workplace, Hiroshima Prefectural Dai-Ni (Second) Junior

High School. From August 7 and on he went to Nakajima-shinmachi (right next to

the hypocentre) to confirm the whereabouts of his first grade Junior High school

students, and stayed there to meet parents who came looking for their children,

giving them items left behind by their children. He fell ill with acute

radiation disrease around August 15, but his health later improved.

My mother went into the city on August 15 to look for her relatives in

Minami-misasacho (2 km from the hypocentre). They had been staying at Koi

Elementary School after being rescued, however they were then cremated there on

August 16.

My two brothers were exposed to radiation after going together with our father

part-way into the city to look for relatives. They had passed through the

hypocentre on the way to Midori-machi. My sister went along with my mother and

thus was also exposed.

Life after the A-bomb

My father fell ill through being exposed to radiation after entering the city,

however luckily he recovered. According to my mother, it was because we lived

far away from the city and were able to feed ourselves with fresh seafood from

the nearby port. Upon his recovery he continued to work as a teacher and retired

as a senior staff member of a newly formed high school. However, he never talked

about the tragedy of the A-bomb that he witnessed. The only episode he shared

with me was seeing many corpses of students floating on the flowing river. I was

ten years old at the time, and could not understand why he did not talk much. I

was weak and often sick when I was little. Apparently my father was worried

about the effect of radiation on my lymph nodes. I remember well him muttering

that "I will not apply for the Hibakusha Booklet until my children get married".

My mother had liver cirrhosis and multiple myeloma, but until she passed away

three years ago at the age of 96 was never completely bed-ridden.

Peace Activities

On March 5, 1988, the Hiroshima Prefecture Second Generation Hibakusha Teachers'

Association was formed, and I joined them. At the same time, I became the Vice

President of the Society of Second Generation Teachers in Japan Teachers' Union,

and started to become involved in the second generation Hibakusha movement. In

August 1988 I became a member of the Committee for Second Generation Hibakusha

Health and Reality Survey, which reached out to second generation Hibakusha

teachers in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Osaka to ask about their health and

opinions. We collected the results in 1989 and realised the great anxiety for

health and sense of prejudice against second generation Hibakusha amongst many

second-generation Hibakusha. That led to me becoming serious about my

involvement in issues surrounding second generation hibakusha.

Later I took part in Hiroshima Prefecture Second Generation A-bomb Liaison

Council and became Secretary-General. Our activities included calling for the

commencement of negotiations for the improvement of health checks for

second-generation Hibakusha, for cooperation from the city and prefecture of

Hiroshima for the issuing of the Second Generation Hibakusha Health Booklet, and

setting up a consultation service for second generation Hibakusha. Since then,

and still now, I am acting as secretary. We are also hosting the atom bomb

exhibition by Maruki Iri & Toshi, and the exhibition of photos taken by citizens

of Global Hibakusha.

Name: TANAKA Kenji

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: March, 1946

Place of Birth: Hiroshima

Place of Exposure: Hiroshima

Kind of Exposure: In-utero Exposure

Situation of Exposure:

My mother was 3 months pregnant when she was exposed. I heard about the details

from my mother and other people around me after I entered elementary school.

My mother was at her home 3km to the south of the hypocentre at 8:15 am, August

6, 1945. She headed to the hypocentre later on August 6 to check on her aunt who

lived there. I heard from my mother that on the way, she witnessed many dead

bodies floating in the river and many Hibakusha in horrible states.

My grandfather was on his way home from the suburbs in the morning of August 6

and was caught in the "black rain" 5km away from the hypocentre.

Life after the A-bomb

I was born in March 1946, the year after the bombing. From birth I was blind in

my right eye (cataract). My aunt whose house was at the hypocentre miraculously

survived after being directly exposed while on a train platform, 700m from the

hypocentre. She had keloids (burns) on the left side of her body, but

miraculously survived. Other than that, she did not leave home much but also did

not suffer from radiation disease. She lived quietly until passing away at 89.

My grandfather who was caught in the "black rain" died of cancer 14 years later.

My brother who was 3 when the A-bomb was dropped also had cancer and died at 61.

Two years later I lost my mother to cancer, too.

Although I was born disabled, other than my blind right eye I have enjoyed

living in good health until today. I am now 64. My second-generation hibakusha

younger brother is also in good health.

Peace Activities

People of my age were still in-utero or not yet one year old at the time of the

bombing. Our grade had the fewest students in the school. After entering

elementary school, health check-ups by the ABCC (Atomic Bomb Casualty

Commission) were waiting for us.

At the time, news about the Hibakusha's health situation was broadcast

regularly, and a Japanese fishing boat was exposed to a hydrogen bomb test in

the Marshall Islands. I grew up amongst this time, when the Japanese

anti-nuclear movement was born.

We have been constantly reminded that we are "Hibakusha," whether we like it or

not. I regard it natural and even a responsibility to join the anti-nuclear

movement as a Hibakusha.

Name: KODAMA Mitsuo

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: September 24, 1932

Place of Birth: Ko-jin cho, Hiroshima City

Place of Exposure: Zakoba cho, Hiroshima City (900m from the hypocentre)

Kind of Exposure: Direct Exposure

Situation of Exposure:

I was 12 years old (first grade of junior high) and at school when the A-bomb

was dropped. The school building I was in was wooden, with ceramic tiles on the

roof. Luckily I was in the middle of the classroom, so I was able to escape from

the collapsed building. I repeatedly vomited, yet had no physical injuries and

walked for 2km before I fell unconscious and was rescued. After a short repose

at a nearby home, I started my journey home in the evening on foot and by train.

It was almost midnight when I reached our home in the village I had been

evacuated to, Hesaka-mura (5km away from Hiroshima City).

In the latter half of August 1945, I had acute radiation/A-bomb disease (loss of

hair, hemorrhage in lungs, purpura, passed blood in urine and stools, high fever

over 42C etc)

Life after the A-bomb

In October same year I suffered from shingles. In November, I started to

practice walking again, and then returned to school (a temporary building) in

December/January. My health condition was unstable, and I suffered from

diarrhea.

My father was 42 years old then, working for the Hiroshima Post Office. He was

in Fukuoka on Kyushu island that day.

My mother was 39 years old then, working 800m from the hypocentre in Hiroshima

for company making bedding for the military. However, on that day she stayed

home because of a headache.

My little sister was 10 years old, in Grade 5 of elementary school. She was

helping in rescue work for Hibakusha (the hypocentre-5.5km).

Peace Activities

I have appeared on several television programmes and maintain my testimonial

weblog "Hibakusha, message from Hiroshima". In 2008, the Hiroshima University

Archive published my interview as "Oral History: Surviving the A-Bomb Fields",

to be shelved in main libraries all over Japan. I also give testimonies and

lectures at schools, universities and local community centres around Hiroshima.

Name: BONKOHARA Kunihiko

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: September 12, 1941

Place of Birth: Hiroshima City

Place of Exposure: Funairi, Hiroshima (2km from the hypocentre)

Kind of Exposure: Direct exposure

Life after the A-bomb

5 years old at the time. With a family of six, my older brother and sister were

primary school students and had been evacuated. Another older sister and my

mother were mobilised to work, and so had gone into central Hiroshima. Only me

and my father were at home at the time. When the atomic bomb was dropped, at the

moment of the bright light my father pushed me under a desk, and placed himself

on top of me to protect me. My father was blown away by the blast, and his body

was pierced by shards of glass and wooden rubble. Luckily the building next to

our home was a brick factory, and so our house did not burn. My father went to a

nearby river to wash his body, and when he came back home the black rain began

to fall. The city was full of horribly burned people.

Life after the A-bomb

My body became covered in blotches, and when I was in Grade 4 at primary school

I was troubled with lung disease. After that, I somehow recovered and after I

left high school I joined the construction industry development youth corps.

When I was 20 years old, I left home and travelled by ship to immigrate to

Brazil. My father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and my mother breast cancer,

and they both passed away. Because I was in Brazil, I was not able to meet with

them at the end.

Peace Activities

At the moment I am helping to support procedures for medical care and treatment

for Hibakusha living in Latin America. Furthermore, I give testimonies in

schools in Brazil, and have been invited to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to give

testimonies as well.

Udskriv gerne og giv til andre og/eller videresend linket her

www.arnehansen.net/100527A-bombeofrefraHiroshima.htm

Med venlig hilsen

Arne Hansen

Sønderjyllands Alle 35, 9900 Frederikshavn Danmark,

Tlf.(+45)98425542, mobil 30420818, post@arnehansen.net,

www.arnehansen.net, www.arnehansen.net/dialog, www.fmef.dk

Skriv gerne under på http://www.asylboerneneudnu.dk/

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