IN PHOTOS: 80 years on, Hiroshima remembers atomic bombing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
15 minutes ago
80 Years On: Son of WWII Soldier Calls for Warless Country
Kawagoe, Saitama Pref., Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--Hajime Eda, 82, a representative of bereaved relatives of World War II victims, delivered a speech at this year's war-end anniversary ceremony on Friday, voicing his hope to keep Japan out of war. Eda's father, Tomiji, was mobilized for a second time in April 1945 to build an airfield on the Korean Peninsula. Six days after Japan surrendered on Aug. 15 that year, a repatriation ship carrying Tomiji hit a sea mine and sank. Tomiji died at 30, never having met his daughter, who was born that month. His remains were not returned to his family. "The sorrow of my father, who looked forward to a future with his family, is immeasurable," Eda said in the speech. After the war ended, Eda lived in the home where Tomiji was born into a farming family. Eda's mother raised him by cultivating rice and raising silkworms with his grandparents. He now thanks her for "carefully raising me without my father." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
an hour ago
40 Pct of Young Unaware of Japan's War-End Anniversary: Jiji Poll
News from Japan Society Aug 15, 2025 20:15 (JST) Tokyo, Aug. 15 (Jiji Press)--About 40 pct of young people in Japan do not know that Aug. 15 marks the country's surrender in World War II, a Jiji Press survey found. The questionnaire survey covered 100 respondents aged between 15 and 25 who were around the Hachiko statue at JR Shibuya Station, a popular meeting spot for young people, on Aug. 1. Of them, only 61 people recognized Aug. 15 as the war-end anniversary. The survey found that 26 respondents did not know what Aug. 15 represented and that four recognized the date incorrectly. Nine respondents did not answer the question about the day. In the survey, 46 and 45 respondents correctly identified Aug. 6 and 9 as the anniversaries of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. Forty-eight people correctly described how many years have passed since Japan's surrender in the war, while 40 people said they did not know. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
40％ of Japan's War-Bereaved Family Association Suspends, Scales Back Activities Due to Membership Decline Resulting from Aging
More than 40%, or 20, of the 47 prefectural chapters of a national organization of families of war dead have suspended or scaled back some of their activities due to a decline in membership as a result of aging, a Yomiuri Shimbun survey showed. It also was found that seven of the 47 prefectural chapters of Tokyo-based Nippon Izokukai (Japan War-Bereaved Families Association) are considering suspending their activities or disbanding, highlighting the growing difficulty in passing on the memories of World War II. According to the survey results and other data, the total number of members of the association has decreased from about 570,000 households in 2019 to around 350,000 households this year. Twenty chapters have had to suspend or scale back at least one of their activities. They have cancelled such activities as memorial trips overseas or suspended such efforts as recovering the remains of war survey was conducted in July and August via Nippon Izokukai, and all 47 chapters responded. Osaka, Hyogo and 16 other prefectural chapters have not cancelled or cut back on their activities but have seen a decrease in the number of participants at memorial services and other events. Regarding their future activity plans, the chapters in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Kyoto, Osaka, Ehime, Oita and Okinawa said they are considering suspending their activities or disbanding all together. A Nippon Izokukai official said it is only natural that the membership decreases, as the association was formed mainly with the parents and siblings of the war dead. 'We aim to continue our activities to pass on the memories of the bereaved and pursue peace until the 100th anniversary of the end of the war,' the official said. 'We want to continue to talk about the horror of war and the value of peace.' Shinzo Araragi, professor emeritus at Sophia University, said: 'The decline in membership shows that Japan has not engaged in war and has maintained peace since the end of the war. However, the feelings of the families who lost their loved ones must be passed on.' Araragi, who is an expert on war sociology, also lost a relative in the war.
