Editorial: It's time Japan takes postwar responsibility for hibakusha, civilian victims

The Mainichi

5 days ago

If Japan had not marched toward war, ordinary people would not have suffered immense hardship. Yet, adequate compensation has not been made.
In August 1945, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in approximately 210,000 deaths by the end of that year. Survivors suffered severe injuries and radiation-induced illnesses. They also bore psychological scars and faced discrimination and prejudice.
However, some individuals are not recognized as atomic bomb survivors, or hibakusha, by the government.
These individuals are labeled as "hibaku taikensha," or those who experienced the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. They were not within the government-designated areas at the time of the bombing and thus were not issued hibakusha health certificates. These areas were determined after the end of World War II based on administrative districts.
Chiyoko Iwanaga, 89, one of such individuals, was exposed to the bomb at age 9. She developed difficulty speaking in her 40s, and was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder in her 50s.
She became the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit seeking the issuance of health certificates. She argued that "black rain" and ash containing radioactive substances fell following the bombing, causing internal exposure and health damage.
Unreasonable lines of relief
In September 2024, the Nagasaki District Court ruled in favor of recognizing some plaintiffs as hibakusha. In response, the government expanded medical expense assistance for hibaku taikensha.
While the national government continues to reject the issuance of health certificates, claiming a lack of "scientific and rational basis," this argument is flawed. Investigations by the Nagasaki Municipal Government and others have gathered numerous testimonies from people outside the designated areas who were showered with black rain.
"We are not begging for pity. We want to be recognized as hibakusha," Iwanaga has said.
Meanwhile, the central government accepted the 2021 Hiroshima High Court ruling recognizing health damage from black rain in Hiroshima, acknowledging people outside the designated areas as hibakusha. However, some remain without relief and continue to seek the issuance of certificates through lawsuits.
The government's unreasonable demarcation has led to disparities in relief. This stems from a stance that limits compensation to military personnel, including employees, and excludes civilians.
For years after the war, hibakusha received no support from the government. The turning point was the 1954 Bikini Atoll incident, where crew members of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru tuna fishing boat were exposed to radiation during a U.S. nuclear test.
The movement to ban atomic and hydrogen bombs gained momentum, and in response to public opinion, the atomic bomb survivors medical care law was enacted in 1957, whereby the government provides free health check-ups and medical care. However, this was within a social security framework, similar to welfare measures for those in need or with disabilities, rather than compensation for damages.
The government's argument for having no obligation to compensate civilians is based on the "doctrine of endurance obligation," which posits that sacrifices during the extraordinary circumstances of war must be endured equally by all citizens.
This was clearly articulated in an opinion paper compiled in 1980 by the atomic bomb victims council, a private advisory body to the then health and welfare minister.
The council denied condolence payments and pensions to the families of atomic bomb victims, which were paid to families of military personnel and civilian employees. At the same time, it recognized health damage from radiation as a "special sacrifice" and acknowledged the need for measures. It also called for stricter hibakusha certification, limiting it to cases with "scientific and rational basis."
Japan must show commitment to nuclear abolition
Akiko Naono, a professor at Kyoto University and an expert on postwar compensation and hibakusha movements, explains that the emphasis was on how to distinguish cases to prevent the scope of compensation from extending to victims of other air raids or the Battle of Okinawa.
However, the endurance doctrine is unreasonable, as it assumes that the government, which caused the damage, forces victims to endure suffering. Without breaking away from this, the issue of postwar compensation cannot be resolved.
While the judiciary once dismissed war victims' claims based on this doctrine, it now encourages legislative solutions. Broad relief, including for air raid victims, is essential.
The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, known as Nihon Hidankyo, which won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, has called for the abolition of nuclear weapons and for the government to make amends by acknowledging its responsibility for the war.
Nihon Hidankyo co-chairperson Terumi Tanaka, 93, emphasized in his Nobel Peace Prize speech that the Japanese government has to this day provided no compensation for the hundreds of thousands of deaths in the atomic bombings.
The greatest wish of atomic bomb survivors is to have no more hibakusha again. Naono points out that demonstrating a commitment to peace and nuclear abolition domestically and internationally, such as maintaining war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution and joining the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, can be considered part of state compensation.
Facing past damages sincerely and working toward a future without war is Japan's duty as the only country to have suffered wartime atomic bombings.