Survey: 60% of Hidankyo Groups Have ‘Five or Fewer' Members Able to Speak about Their Experiences
One group reported having none at all, highlighting the urgent need to pass on the experiences of those who remain. Hidankyo once had a group for each prefecture, but 12 of these have already dissolved or suspended activities.
The survey was conducted in May and June via face-to-face interviews, phone calls and written questionnaires, targeting the 35 remaining prefectural groups, and all groups responded.
The only remaining groups with over 1,000 members are the ones in Hiroshima Prefecture (3,200 members), Tokyo (2,584 members) and Nagasaki Prefecture (1,500 members). Most groups now have a few dozen members.
When asked how many members they had who were capable of testifying about their experiences as atomic bomb survivors, 22 prefectural organizations reported having five or fewer such members. The numbers are as follows: 14 prefectures, including Osaka and Kumamoto, reported two to five; seven prefectures, including Aomori, Kagawa and Oita, reported having one; and Toyama Prefecture reported none. This is attributable to factors such as the declining number of atomic bomb survivors and their aging.
When asked whether they were considering dissolution or suspension of activities within the next five years, groups in four prefectures, including Osaka and Kochi, answered 'yes.' Among the 10 prefectural groups that said they didn't know, some also indicated that dissolution was a possibility.
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