Japan Times 1950: Hiroshima peace festival canceled

Japan Times

3 days ago

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, Aug. 27, 1925
Tokyo is swamped by worst floods in years
Thirty thousand buildings had been made uninhabitable by the flood which Tokyo experienced yesterday, according to figures issued early this morning by the Hochi. Fukagawa, Honjo and Akasaka districts suffered the most. At Minami-cho the water was reported three feet deep.
Continual rains through the past twenty-four hours left Tokyo early this morning floundering in the worst flood the city has experienced in eight years.
About two thirds of the capital city was under water, and thousands of persons spent last night drenched to the skin under makeshift shelters and out in the open on higher ground which they sought as the rising water drove them from their homes in the low districts.
Few casualties have been reported but frequent breakdowns in communications probably have prevented adequate summations of the extent of the disaster.
Nearly 10,000 houses in Tokyo alone are believed to have been inundated and the real menace of the rising waters became apparent as a swirling, turbulent river swept down from Aoibashi, met backwater from the lowlands and began flooding houses in the higher places.
At nightfall yesterday water stood three feet deep at Toranomon, a mad current sweeping the muddy waters into shops, garages, tea houses and restaurants even in this relatively high quarter.
At Toranomon the river in the street divided, one branch sweeping to the right pouring down toward Shimbashi and the other to the left passing the Imperial Diet building, down by Hibiya Park to the Imperial Hotel where at 8 o'clock last night it began creeping into the basement.
August 1925 |
The Japan Times
75 YEARS AGO
Monday, Aug. 7, 1950
Hiroshima prays for end to war
There are no doves of peace fluttering over the resurrected ruins of Hiroshima today, the fifth anniversary of man's first lethal unleashing of the power of the atom.
For the last four years, there has annually been 'a peace festival' here on Aug. 6 in which survivors of the 1945 explosion ceremoniously unleashed a bird symbolizing Hiroshima's hopes for the end of all world hostilities.
But on this Sunday, with a war blazing anew less than 500 miles away in bloody, dusty Korea, the festival, as such, was abruptly cancelled. Instead, a strictly religious observance by six denominations began at 8:15 a.m. in memory of the thousands who died as the bomb exploded in these skies on that instant to hasten the end of World War II.
The people of Hiroshima prayed for eternal peace today while police stood guard to prevent possible Communist demonstrations.
Thousands of intensely religious Japanese — among them many survivors of the atomic bomb blast five years ago today — attended the impressive services on a river island near the explosion center.
Police were on patrol at the entrance to the 'Peace Park' because posters had been distributed by Communist organizations asking for support of what they called the 'Motherland Protection Association.'
Authorities feared this fifth anniversary of the A-bomb drop might be used by the few Reds in this area as an occasion for anti-American rally but there was no disruption and the lengthy services went off as planned.
At 9:15 this morning the bell in the Peace Tower tolled to mark the anniversary of the instant of man's first atomic bombing.
August 1950 |
The Japan Times
50 YEARS AGO
Tuesday, Aug. 5, 1975
Japanese gunmen seize U.S., Swedish diplomats
Terrorists seized the U.S. consul, the Swedish charge d'affaires and other hostages Monday and demanded release of seven terrorists imprisoned in Japan and a plane to fly them to an unknown destination.
The terrorists, believed linked with the ultraradical Japanese Red Army, fired occasional shots from the building housing the U.S. and Swedish embassies, wounding two policemen and a guard.
A note dropped from a window said the terrorists demanded the release of seven Red Army men jailed in Japan, a helicopter to take them from the roof of the 12-story building and a Japan Air Lines plane to fly them anywhere they want to go.
Shortly after the deadline at 5:30 p.m., V. Manickavasagam, Malaysia's Communications Minister, arrived at the building and said the terrorists had agreed to meet him. He said the government instructed him after an emergency Cabinet meeting with the terrorists.
Malaysian government sources said the terrorists had informed the government they wanted to negotiate with the Japanese government through the Malaysian government and not directly.
U.S. Embassy officials said four to six terrorists took U.S. Consul Robert Stebbins, three Malaysian office workers and some others hostage at 10:45 a.m.
Later they seized Swedish Charge d'Affaires Fredrick Bergenstrahle and his Swedish secretary, identified only as Miss Ulla, at the Swedish Embassy, near the American consul's office on the ninth floor.
Malaysian officials met with the U.S. Embassy's acting head of mission, Robert S. Dillon, and Japanese Ambassador Michiaki Suma, to discuss action. Suma was summoned back from a holiday in Singapore.
The terrorists shot a guard and a policeman trying to control the crowd outside the building. Later, they shot twice at federal reserve unit policemen standing behind the building and hit one officer in the thigh.
August 1975 |
The Japan Times
25 YEARS AGO
Saturday, Aug. 5, 2000
Land prices decline 7% for eighth annual drop
The average price of land facing main roads in Japan fell for the eight straight year in the 12 months to Jan. 1, the decline only marginally less than a year earlier, the National Tax Administration said Friday.
The average land price, based on National Land Agency data on some 400,000 locations nationwide, fell by 7% to ¥146,000 per square meter, the administration said. The drop was 7.1% the previous year.
In some parts of downtown Tokyo, land prices slightly increased or remained flat due to corporate demand for office space, but prices in other areas continued their downward trend.
The findings show the economy is still struggling to overcome the effects of the burst of the asset-inflated bubble of the late 1980s, analysts say.
For the 15th straight year, the nation's most expensive piece of land was in front of the Kyukyodo stationery store in Ginza.
The property was worth ¥11.68 million per square meter, the same as in 1999 but only about a third of the ¥36.5 million in the peak year of 1992, according to the administration. A postcard-size plot in front of the store was priced at ¥173,000.
Land prices failed to rebound in all 47 prefectures. Forty-six prefectures saw declines in average land prices, while figures remained level in Shimane Prefecture.
Chiba Prefecture recorded the largest year-on-year decline, of 11.9%, followed by Nagasaki at 11% and Osaka at 10%.
There were 20 prefectures where the rate of decline in average land prices decreased, compared with three prefectures a year earlier, the administration said.
August 2000 |
The Japan Times
Compiled by Mike Fu. In this feature, we delve into The Japan Times' 128-year archive to present a selection of stories from the past. The Japan Times' archive is now available in digital format. For more details, see jtimes.jp/de.