Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities indelibly tattooed by the calamities of nuclear combat, are joining in a passionate campaign to keep their stories alive. An innovative project works to preserve the stories of atomic bomb survivors. Yoshiko Niiyama has been at the vanguard of this movement. She is now training to become a “family successor” and is joined by a growing number of passionate individuals in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This municipal program certifies the descendants of first-generation hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombings. It allows them to be storytellers and to advocate for preserving the memories of the people who suffered through that destruction.
National surveys conducted by the Japanese government on these survivors’ living conditions and health—a decade-long practice—were recently discontinued. This decision has raised a lot of fears about the preservation of these crucial stories going forward. As the survivors get older, the race to preserve their stories grows all the more urgent.
A featured artist, Yoshiko Niiyama’s personal journey enriches this initiative. She had her father, Mitsugi, gone, who was working in a bank only 1 kilometer away from Hiroshima’s hypocenter. He was among the estimated 60,000 to 80,000 people who perished instantly when the atomic bomb, known as “Little Boy,” detonated at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945. The resulting explosion released the equivalent energy of 15,000 tonnes of TNT. It ignited a gruesome firestorm, claiming the lives of as many as 140,000 souls by year’s end.
Niiyama entered Hiroshima just two days after the bombing, doggedly hunting for her father with her eldest sister. Yet, she never did locate him or his remains, likely vaporized with millions of others.
“I remember that the air was filled with smoke and there were bodies everywhere … and it was so hot,” – Yoshiko Niiyama
Now in her mid-80s, Niiyama is one of the few remaining hibakusha alive today. She can still clearly describe the traumatic scenes they witnessed that day. The average age of hibakusha as of this year has already exceeded 86 years. Their population is vanishing before our eyes. This year, registered survivors dropped below 100,000, down from more than 372,000 in 1981.
Many hibakusha remained silent about their experiences for decades, fearing discrimination that could hinder their ability to marry or find employment. Niiyama didn’t talk freely about her own memories until her granddaughter, the writer and performance artist Kyoko Niiyama, urged her to tell her story.
“I didn’t want to remember what had happened,” – Yoshiko Niiyama
“Reflecting on her experiences, Niiyama reminds us of the value of telling these stories so they are preserved for the next generation. “When my children are older, they’ll naturally ask about what happened to their grandmother,” Kyoko Niiyama said, highlighting the need for continuity in recounting their family’s history.
The issues that hibakusha confront go far past individual trauma. Nihon Hidankyo, a nationwide network of hibakusha advocates, has lobbied tirelessly on behalf of hibakusha and their nuclear disarmament agenda, both nationally and globally. Their courage, dedication and untiring work brought them to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award honored their ongoing mission to abolish nuclear weapons from the planet.
“These brave hibakusha deserve to have their decades of campaigning vindicated and to witness the elimination of nuclear weapons in their lifetimes. This would provide some nuclear justice,” – Melissa Parke
The psychological scars from that fateful day are still quite fresh for Niiyama. She recalls how disfigured the faces of other survivors were, stating, “The faces of the survivors were so badly disfigured that I didn’t want to look at them. I had to.” Such memories are an important and powerful reminder of the human cost of nuclear warfare.
So as each anniversary comes due, Niiyama is in a position of having to dread it but being responsible for it.
“I don’t like the month of August,” – Yoshiko Niiyama
There’s relief in being able to talk about her experience openly again, especially with her granddaughter.
“Now that the anniversary is approaching, I can talk to her again,” – Kyoko Niiyama
Certifying family successors Yoshiko Niiyama with her ikigai as the 15 th holder of her family’s nishikigoi. Teresa Aube. It protects against future generations from ever fully understanding the horrific consequences of nuclear weapons, especially when used in war. It acts as a prompt to recognise the need for more discussion around nuclear disarmament and peace.