'Memory keepers' pass on Hiroshima A-bomb survivors' stories

Japan Times

20-05-2025

Since fiscal 2012, the Hiroshima city government has been training "memory keepers" — individuals who learn and pass on the testimonies of hibakusha, or atomic bombing survivors, along with their hopes for peace, to future generations on their behalf.
As of April 1 this year, nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, only 29 hibakusha remained willing and able to publicly share their experiences, with an average age of 87.6. Meanwhile, the number of city-trained memory keepers has grown to about 240. They now play an active role in sharing these stories at schools across the country, including in Hiroshima.
In February, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum hosted a lecture to revisit the experience of Masahiro Kunishige, who was exposed to radiation at a location about 2 kilometers from the epicenter of the nuclear explosion in the western city on Aug. 6, 1945, when he was 14 years old. He sustained burns to his face and left arm. Kunishige passed away in 2022 at the age of 91.
Akemi Tao, a 74-year-old Hiroshima resident, served as a testimony successor at the event. Using photos and illustrations, she brought Kunishige's experience to life for an audience of about 10 people during a one-hour presentation.
"When I nervously touched my face with both hands, the skin of my left cheek was hanging," Tao said, speaking on behalf of Kunishige. "When I returned home, both my parents welcomed me. I cried loudly, overwhelmed by relief, happiness and pain."
Tao also provided her own reflections. "In war, it's ordinary citizens who suffer the most, especially vulnerable groups like the elderly and children," she said. "I hope to communicate the realities of the atomic bombing and contribute to preserving peace, even in a small way."
Becoming a memory keeper requires about two years of training. Applicants study the realities of the U.S. nuclear attack and practice public speaking skills. They subsequently select hibakusha whose story they wish to convey, meet with the individuals to hear their experiences at firsthand, and prepare a draft lecture of around 10,000 written characters.
After their draft is reviewed by staff from the city government's peace promotion section, applicants undergo practical training. Once they complete the process, they are officially commissioned by a city-affiliated organization to serve as storytellers.
"I was told that my manuscript lacked impact, so I rewrote it many times. I almost gave up," Tao said, looking back on her training.
Now, however, she is sometimes specifically requested by schools to give lectures. "I feel happy that I'm contributing to peace education," she said, adding that she hopes one day to recount Kunishige's story in English.
The number of lectures given by such legacy successors is increasing, with 533 held in Hiroshima and 539 elsewhere during fiscal 2024, which ended in March this year. As their ranks grow, however, some memory keepers have reported having limited opportunities to present hibakusha stories.
"We need to train (memory keepers) while hibakusha are still alive," a city official said. "We will work to create more opportunities for them (to speak)."
In fiscal 2022, the city government began training "family memory keepers," who pass down the experiences of victims from their own families. As of April 1 this year, 39 people had been commissioned for the role.
"To shed light on a wide range of experiences related to the atomic bombing, we hope to preserve the stories of those who are willing to share with their family members, even if they don't take part in public storytelling," a city official said.
Ayako Hosokawa, a 67-year-old narrator of hibakusha stories from Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, has also been serving as a family memory keeper since fiscal 2023, preserving and sharing her aunt's experience.
When she revealed to children attending her lecture that some atomic bombing survivors were reluctant to talk about their experiences, a number of audience members were surprised and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to hear her talk, according to Hosokawa.
"I think (the children) reflected on the feelings of the citizens after nuclear weapons were used and realized how valuable it was for my aunt to share her experiences with them," she said.
In September last year, the city government extended the recruitment period for hibakusha witnesses and family memory keepers from the month of May to the entire year, allowing atomic bombing survivors to apply when their health permits.
"The project depends on the cooperation of hibakusha. We aim to introduce more initiatives that can ease their burdens," a city official said.