My Testimony as a Victim of the Nuclear Bombing

Hisako Kimura
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture

May 2010

I am one of the survivors of the Atom Bomb dropped on the city of Hiroshima.
I ‘m so pleased to share my experiences with you today.
Thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to speak to you.

In 1945, at the time of the bombing, my family of six lived in the city, 700 meters away from the epicenter.

A total of 18 members of our family and relatives experienced the atom bomb. Eight died within 10 days and five passed away later on. The remaining five survived.

At the time of the bombing, I was 8 years old. I had a narrow escape from death and my childhood was very hard, full of pain that I could not talk about with anybody.

My father died on August 9th.
My grandfather died on August 12th.
My uncles and aunts and cousins were killed on the spot!

My grandfather’s front body was badly burnt and he was ling on bed. I was told by my mother to pick maggots up from his wound. Because of the unbearable smell, I began to hope that my grandfather would die soon. And he passed away after 6 days.

Witnessing all the deaths in my family, it was very hard for 8-year-old to understand why so many loved ones passed away one after another.

Here is my father’s photo. (Hisako shows it to crowd.)
The grief of losing my father when I was 8 will never disappear.
Even at the age of 73 today, I long to see my father.
Please, please bring my father back to me.

I wonder how those innocent citizens full of hope died without knowing the destructive power of the atom bomb. What were the victims’ thoughts when they lost their lives?

We must not have more victims like us. We must eliminate all the nuclear weapons from earth as soon as possible. Dropping an atom bomb on human beings is the most bloodthirsty act that mankind has ever experienced. It is a crime that we must not repeat. Nuclear weapons are the most inhumane weapons, and they will rob people of their capacity to live as human beings.

To carry on the mission and accomplishments of aging Hibakusha into the future, we must continue to tell the devastating experience of the Atomic Bomb to the next generation and not let the memories fade.

I promise to live my life to make the 21st century free from wars.
“We cannot accept nuclear weapons!”
“Stop making nukes!”
“Abolish nuclear weapons!”
“No More Hibakusha!”
I will do my best until every single nuclear weapon will be eliminated from earth.

A single nuclear bomb created so many victims. Those survivors have been suffering from radiation sickness and they have always been unsure about their futures.

Please listen to us. Let’s work together and not make the same mistake we made in the past. Let’s build a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and wars.   .

Contact to: NIHON HIDANKYO
(Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations)
Address: Gable Bldg. #902, 1-3-5 Shiba Daimon, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-0012, JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-3438-1897        Fax: +81-3-3431-2113
E-mail: kj3t-tnk@asahi-net.or.jp
Website: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hidankyo/nihon/