2 days ago
During a reflective day in Hiroshima, the Taoiseach is reminded it's a small world
Christina Finn
reports from Osaka
'THE WORLD IS indeed a small place', Taoiseach Micheál Martin said today after meeting with Teruko Yahata, a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945.
She was just eight years old when the bomb was dropped on her home city.
The Taoiseach said he was moved by her testimony, stating that she told him how her family had moved to the hills, but when they came back down there was 'rows of people coming back up with burns and skin peeling off their arms'.
She also spoke about the burns and shrapnel that had been stuck in her mother's back and of all her friends who were killed that day.
Her daughter ended up getting married to an Irishman living in the UK and her grandson, called Conor, is now a doctor working in London, hence the small world reference made by the Taoiseach today.
Yahata remains a very committed campaigner for the ending of nuclear weapons in war.
In 2013, she was appointed by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Ambassador for Denuclearization. She started activities as an atomic bomb witness for the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation in 2019.
She began taking English lessons at the age of 83, in order to speak about the terrible reality and suffering in her own voice and words.
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Never far from home
The Taoiseach travelled to Hiroshima today to lay a wreath at the cenotaph and to ring the Peace Bell at the site, and while it was a sombre place, there were light moments that reminded him that you're never really far from home.
When walking over towards the concrete, saddle-shaped monument covering the cenotaph, which holds the names of all of the people killed by the atomic bomb, the Taoiseach was stopped by Sarah Collins from Tipperary and Alan Rattigan from Galway who were on a visit to the city.
'Can we get a picture Mr Taoiseach?' said Collins and the Taoiseach happily obliged.
'Are you going to beat Kilkenny?' he asked.
'Let's hope so,' she replied, telling the Taoiseach she has her jersey in the bag ready for Sunday.
'Are you enjoying your trip,' she asked. 'Yes, we're back tomorrow though,' said the Taoiseach.
Sarah Collins and Alan Rattigan taking a selfie with the Taoiseach.
Christina Finn
Christina Finn
He later bumped into another couple from Meath who were also holidaying in Japan.
A bustling city
While many who hear the word 'Hiroshima' think of the devastated and ravaged landscape, such as those seen in photos from 1945, the city is far from desolate.
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It is now a bustling city and a must-see place for holidaymakers to visit in Japan.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was abuzz with groups of tourists and school children, all there to pay their respects to the thousands that were killed.
The Taoiseach was just like them at times. While he is in Japan on business, his days a s history student were evident today, when he had his phone out and was taking photos of the Peace Bell and the other memorials for his own personal collection.
While the atomic bomb was dropped 80 years ago this year, there were plenty of parallels being drawn with the present day geopolitical situation.
Martin said the world is in a very dangerous place with the threat of nuclear weapons still a reality.
The Taoiseach told Japanese reporters today that the reason he was here was to reaffirm Ireland's commitment to peace, telling the media that there are too many wars and conflicts in the world right now.
However Mayor of Hiroshima Kazumi Matsui today spoke about the need to break the 'cycle of hatred', stating that while survivors of the atomic bomb have had to live through the most unthinkable of experiences they don't want anyone else to suffer as they have.
'That is the very strong message that our survivors have now,' he said.
'They overcame their hatred,' he said, stating that standing before the cenotaph 'we say we shall not repeat the evil or the mistakes'.
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