I don’t know how kids learn about it these days, but growing up and receiving basic education in Japan, I was taught a lot about the atomic bombings. We read testimonies, visited museums, and every summer, TV would be filled with special programmes and movies about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The stories of the hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) were always moving, but over time, they started to feel distant, or something belonging to a past I could only observe from afar.
Last week, I had the chance to join a week-long programme in Hiroshima that brought together young people from around the world to learn from the city’s history and explore what peace means today. Through visiting places and hearing many stories and lectures, I realised that the narratives of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are often simplified. The atomic bombings are often seen in Japan as a national tragedy, while elsewhere they are sometimes understood as a grim strategy to bring the conflict to a close. But these framings tend to overlook the ongoing struggles and suffering of survivors, as well as the experiences of foreign victims - many from then Japanese colonies such as Korea and China - whose stories are too often left out. To truly understand Hiroshima, we need to look beyond national borders and listen to the many voices that make its history so complex and human.
Towards the end of the programme, one participant said she felt pessimistic because survivors have been telling these stories for decades, yet nuclear weapons still exist and continue to pose a threat. I understood that feeling. Before joining, I have to admit that although I cared about nuclear weapons, I often felt there wasn’t much I could do or say. It seemed too complicated, too far from my everyday life.
And yet, I left Hiroshima feeling more hopeful. Hearing directly from hibakusha and meeting activists, including those around my age, showed me a different side of the issue. Civil society, too, has a role to play in nuclear disarmament through empathy, education, and small acts that keep the conversation alive. Being surrounded by people who continue to act for peace reminded me that I won’t be alone in this effort. I’m still exploring what I can do, but I feel more motivated than ever to contribute, even in small ways.
Yuki Nakamura