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Japan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Japan Times
When did WWII end? 1 in 4 Japanese can't say, survey shows
After more than 80 years, World War II feels distant — so much so that around 1 in 4 Japanese don't know the day Japan capitulated, a recent survey has found. The survey by the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) found that 25.8% of respondents did not know the war ended on Aug. 15, 1945, while 21.7% and 27%, respectively, did not know the date the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima (Aug. 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9, 1945). The online study, conducted in June, had 1,200 participants ranging from ages 10 and over. Marking the 80th anniversary since the end of WWII, this was the first time the JRCS conducted a study on the public's awareness and behavior regarding peace. With the wartime generation aging, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to pass on their stories to the younger generation. Nearly 90% of respondents answered that they thought continuing to tell stories about the war to future generations was important, but only half said that they have heard firsthand accounts of the war. Among those who have heard such stories, around 47% said they heard it from their grandparents, while 38% said they heard it from oral storytellers who work to preserve memories of the conflict. 'In Japan, which fortunately has not become a battlefield for the past 80 years, it may be to some extent inevitable that memories of war are fading,' said Hiroto Oyama of JRCS. 'However, even in the current situation, where many feel an impending crisis about achieving peace, I would like to highlight the fact that the vast majority of people still value learning from past experiences.' When asked about current affairs, over half of the respondents said they thought Japan was peaceful, while only around 20% thought there was peace in the world. Many were pessimistic about achieving world peace in the future, with only 18.4% believing a war-free world was possible. Meanwhile, 68.6% said they did not think world peace was attainable. Asked about Japan's possible involvement in war in the future, 12.9% strongly believed it was possible while 40.3% thought such a scenario was moderately possible. On nuclear weapons, 51.8% of respondents said such weapons should not be used or possessed, while 28.3% felt they should not be used but that having them may be necessary for self defense.
Time of India
06-08-2025
- General
- Time of India
Blinding light, sick burning smell: Hiroshima nuke bomb survivors share horror stories of survival being a burden
At 8:15 a.m. on 6 August 1945, Hiroshima was hit by an atomic bomb dropped by a US aircraft. The blast wiped out much of the city in seconds. Tens of thousands died instantly; many more followed in the weeks and months ahead. By the end of that year, the death toll had risen to an estimated 140,000. Decades later, Hiroshima still marks that moment in silence. The survivors, most now elderly, recall the nearly blinding light, the ash, the sickening smell of burning. For them, survival wasn't a comfort, it was a burden. It was the start of something heavier: life under the weight of radiation and grief. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program They're known as hibakusha, and their testimony is direct. Some lost entire families. Others bore wounds that never healed. Many lived with suspicion, discrimination, and long-term illness. Their stories are not history lessons, they're warnings. This year, 55,000 people gathered in Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park to mark the anniversary. There were prayers, speeches, tears. The message was as clear as it was familiar: never again. But saying it doesn't mean the world's listening. A Mayor's blunt warning Mayor Kazumi Matsui didn't soften his words. Live Events "Among the world's political leaders, there is a growing belief that possessing nuclear weapons is unavoidable in order to protect their own countries," he said. "This situation not only nullifies the lessons the international community has learned from the tragic history of the past, but also seriously undermines the frameworks that have been built for peace-building." He urged world leaders to visit Hiroshima, to witness the consequences themselves. The first to see the aftermath On 29 August 1945, weeks after the blast, ICRC delegate Fritz Bilfinger arrived in Hiroshima. He was the first foreigner to witness the devastation. The very next day, he sent an urgent telegram to Geneva. What followed was the swift arrival of Dr Marcel Junod, head of the ICRC delegation in Japan, who helped organise emergency relief. Japanese Red Cross Society medical teams, some working from tents, treated over 31,000 injured in the first three weeks. Their efforts were a lifeline in a city reduced to ash and silence. Survivors are still talking. But not for long? The number of survivors is shrinking. Most are in their 80s or 90s now. This year, Japan officially recorded fewer than 100,000 survivors. Minoru Suzuto , 94, was one of them at the ceremony. "There will be nobody left to pass on this sad and painful experience in 10 years or 20 years," he told AP. "That's why I want to share (my story) as much as I can." Their voices carry urgency. They know time is short. And memory fades fast when it's inconvenient. Japan's double bind Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the current global security situation "increasingly severe." "The divisions within the international community over nuclear disarmament are deepening," he said. And yet, Japan still hasn't signed or ratified the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Officially, it says it relies on the US nuclear umbrella. Mayor Matsui, again, was clearer: Tokyo should sign the treaty. Ishiba didn't mention it at all. The politics of nuclear justification Some survivors were angered by recent rhetoric coming out of the United States. In particular, comments made by Donald Trump after a 2023 strike on Iran, when he likened it to Hiroshima. "It's ridiculous," said 79-year-old survivor Kosei Mito. "I don't think we can get rid of nuclear weapons as long as it was justified by the assailant." Nihon Hidankyo , a Nobel Peace Prize-winning survivors' group, said: "We don't have much time left, while we face a greater nuclear threat than ever. Our biggest challenge now is to change, even just a little, nuclear weapons states that give us the cold shoulder." Nagasaki: The second nuclear bomb Three days after Hiroshima, another bomb fell on Nagasaki. This one used plutonium. It killed 70,000 people. Japan surrendered six days later. World War II ended. The nuclear era began. A Growing Stockpile Nine countries now have nuclear weapons: the US, Russia, China, France, the UK, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. Together, they have over 12,000 warheads. Nearly all are expanding their arsenals. China is building fast, adding around 100 warheads each year. The US and Russia still hold over 90 percent of the total. The UK and India are increasing theirs. North Korea remains aggressive. The Hiroshima bomb was 15 kilotons. The largest in the US arsenal is 1.2 megatons. That's eighty times more powerful. Doomsday clock ticks closer to midnight In January, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight. Closer than ever. "Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, a move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of extreme danger," it warned. Their concerns? Nuclear conflict. Climate collapse. Rogue AI . But nuclear risk still tops the list. Hans Kristensen from SIPRI put it plainly: "We see a clear trend of growing nuclear arsenals, sharpened nuclear rhetoric and the abandonment of arms control agreements." Postwar Japan renounced war in its constitution. Article 9 was clear. No military force. Only a Self-Defence Force. But that's shifting. Fast. Japan now has one of the world's highest military budgets. Politicians are openly discussing rewriting the constitution. Younger generations fear threats from China, Russia and North Korea. Some still believe in pacifism. Others call it naive. The River that still carries the light Every year on 6 August, lanterns float on the Motoyasu River. Bells toll. Crowds cry. Kazuo Miyoshi , 74, was among them. He came to honour family — a grandfather and two cousins lost in the bombing. "We do not need nuclear weapons," he said. "Mistakes like that must not be repeated." UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement, read aloud during the ceremony: "Remembering the past is about protecting and building peace today and in the future." The A-Bomb Dome still stands. Cracked, blackened, but there. Surrounded by parks, office buildings, tourists. A scar in the middle of daily life. It says: this happened and it could happen again. The physical scars of the bomb may have faded from the landscape, but its effects remain, in the health of those exposed, in the trauma carried forward, and in the global conversation that still hesitates to turn memory into policy.
Japan Forward
05-08-2025
- General
- Japan Forward
An Imperial Week in Photos: Emperor Naruhito Welcomes a President, Empress Masako Honors Nurses
このページを 日本語 で読む On July 29, Emperor Naruhito met with President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. President Simina was visiting Japan to attend his country's National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. At the Expo, participating countries are introduced on a rotating daily schedule. Emperor Naruhito meets with President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Imperial Palace on the morning of July 29. Micronesia was the site of intense fighting between Japanese and American forces during World War II. His Majesty remarked, "It is deeply saddening that so many people lost their lives." He also expressed his gratitude for the country's cooperation in the recovery of the remains of the war dead and voiced his hope for continued friendly exchanges between the youth of both nations. On July 30, the Annual Rites of Emperor Meiji were held at the Koreiden (Imperial Ancestor Sanctuary) of the Imperial Palace to mark the anniversary of Emperor Meiji's (Mutsuhito) death. Emperor Naruhito, Crown Prince Fumihito, and Crown Princess Kiko paid their respects. Other members of the Imperial Family, including Princess Aiko, daughter of the Emperor and Empress, were also in attendance. That same day, Princess Akiko of the Mikasa branch of the Imperial Family attended the commemorative ceremony at Fushimi Momoyama Mausoleum in Kyoto, where Emperor Meiji is buried. On July 28, Empress Masako took part in the Goyosan Osame no Gi — the final ritual of the sericulture (silk farming) season — held at the Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery within the Imperial Palace grounds. According to the Imperial Household Agency, the Empress offered bundles of raw silk to the deities. She also expressed her appreciation to the lead sericulturists and staff for their work. On July 31, Empress Masako attended the Florence Nightingale Medal award ceremony hosted by the Japanese Red Cross Society at the Tokyo Prince Hotel. As the organization's Honorary President, she awarded medals to three recipients and later spoke with them individually. Empress Masako, Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako of Hitachi, Princess Nobuko, and Princess Hisako of Takamado attend the Florence Nightingale Medal award ceremony on the afternoon of July 31 in Minato Ward, Tokyo. To one recipient — a nurse who had assisted in the rescue efforts following the 1985 crash of a Japan Airlines jumbo jet that claimed 520 lives — the Empress said, "You worked so hard," in recognition of her service. Also present at the ceremony were Princess Kiko (Honorary Vice President), Princess Hanako of Hitachi, Princess Nobuko of Tomohito, and Princess Hisako of Takamado. Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko visited Kagawa Prefecture on July 26 and 27 to attend the National Cultural Festival for High Schools, also known as the "Inter-High of Cultural Clubs." At the opening ceremony in Takamatsu on the 26th, the Crown Prince encouraged students by saying, "I hope you will showcase the creativity you've cultivated and let your diverse talents bloom like the colorful flowers here in Kagawa." Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko watch the parade of the 49th National Cultural Festival for High Schools— afternoon of July 26, in Takamatsu City. The following day, the couple visited exhibitions in the arts and crafts category and engaged with high school students participating in the event. Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko visit the Art and Craft Division of the national high school cultural festival — morning of July 27, in Takamatsu City. On July 30, Crown Prince Fumihito hosted 35 elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa at the Akasaka Higashi Residence within the Akasaka Estate. The students are part of a student reporters program called "Mame Kisha." The Crown Prince and his family spoke warmly with them about Okinawan culture and nature, as well as their reasons for wanting to become reporters. Prince Fumihito and his son, Prince Hisahito, speak with elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa taking part in the "Mame Kisha" program — morning of July 30. (Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency) Princess Kiko and her younger daughter, Princess Kako, speak with elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa participating in the student reporter program. (©Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency) On July 25, Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince and Princess Akishino, attended the opening ceremony of the 59th All Japan High School Equestrian Championships in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. She applauded as the student athletes marched in the ceremony. Princess Kako attends the opening ceremony of the All-Japan High School Equestrian Championships — morning of July 25, at the Equestrian Sports Center in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Later that day, she visited the Takane-no-Mori Kodomoen (preschool) in the same city and interacted with the children. Princess Kako visits Takane no Mori Kodomoen and spends time with the children — afternoon of July 25, in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture. On July 29, Princess Yoko of the Mikasa branch of the Imperial Family attended the elementary school division of the All Japan Kendo Dojo Federation's tournament, held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The following day, she attended the middle school division of the same tournament. Also on July 25, Princess Hisako of Takamado attended a board meeting of the Support Association of the International Education Center, held in Tokyo. She serves as the association's Honorary President. Author: Masashi Nakamura and Tomomi Yoshizawa, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
15-07-2025
- Health
Freezer Glitch Affects Blood Products at Red Cross Center in Tokyo
News from Japan Jul 15, 2025 16:46 (JST) Tokyo, July 15 (Jiji Press)--A freezer glitch rendered about 13,700 units of fresh frozen plasma blood unusable at the Japanese Red Cross Society's blood center in Tokyo in May, it was learned Tuesday. The incident did not affect deliveries of blood products to medical institutions, and the affected units will be used as materials for other products that can be stored at higher temperatures, officials of the center said. On May 11, the freezer at a branch of the center in Tokyo's Koto Ward lost power around 10:30 p.m. Before the power was restored about four hours later, the temperature of the fresh frozen plasma blood units inside was above the standard level of minus 20 degrees Celsius for about two and a half hours. The power cut was caused by a faulty device installation in the temperature control panel, the officials said. The Japanese Red Cross Society reported the incident to the health ministry on June 10. At a press conference on Tuesday, health minister Takamaro Fukuoka said the ministry strongly demanded the society report any incident in a timely manner. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yomiuri Shimbun
15-07-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
13,700 Blood Products Unusable at Red Cross After Freezer Power Failure; Lost Units Make up 1.2% of Annual Supply
Around 13,700 units of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) were rendered unusable after a freezer storing blood products at a substation of the Japanese Red Cross Tokyo Metropolitan Blood Center in Koto Ward, Tokyo, lost power, it has been learned. Equipment malfunction was cited as the cause of the problem. The Japanese Red Cross Society has since informed blood centers nationwide of the incident and urged them to implement stringent blood product management. FFP, a blood product derived from donated blood and used for transfusions, plays a vital role in aiding blood coagulation, particularly in patients deficient in the coagulation factors necessary for blood clotting. It is unusual for such a large quantity of FFP to become unusable in a single incident. According to the center, an alarm sounded at about 10:30 p.m. on May 11 following a power failure in the freezer at the center's Tatsumi supply substation, where blood products are stored. After the alert, a contractor was dispatched to respond to the issue. Repairs were completed and power was restored in about four hours. A subsequent review of the temperature monitoring system revealed that the temperature had exceeded the standard freezing threshold of minus 20 C for 150 minutes, resulting in the loss of the units. The center told The Yomiuri Shimbun that the issue stemmed from a terminal block with a different voltage standard being installed during an upgrade in May last year of the freezer's control panel, which regulates the temperature. As a result, voltage exceeding a specified limit had been applied to the device's electrical circuit for a prolonged period of time, which could have damaged the control panel, it said. According to one of the society's business reports, 2.15 million units of FFP were supplied to medical institutions in fiscal 2024, with each unit measuring 120 milliliters. The 13,700 units lost in this incident represent approximately 1.2% of the total annual supply. While the center emphasized that alternative FFP could be supplied from national stockpiles with no impact on deliveries to medical institutions, it simultaneously announced plans to increase FFP production at its 11 manufacturing facilities nationwide. The Japanese Red Cross did not report the incident to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry until June 10, a month after it happened and after being contacted by The Yomiuri Shimbun.
