A group of hibakusha, survivors of the 1945 Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, visited the graves of deceased hibakusha in Tokyo on Sunday.
They came to share the news that Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organization representing hibakusha, had won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
About 20 people paid their respects at a cemetery where the remains of hibakusha with no relatives are buried. The main organizer of the event was Toyukai, an organization of atomic bomb survivors who live in Tokyo.
One of the participants was Ieshima Masashi, a representative director of the group, who is also a senior member of Nihon Hidankyo.
Ieshima said he believes winning the prize is proof that the testimonies and efforts of his predecessors to advocate for nuclear abolition has been recognized.
He also said he is grateful that Nihon Hidankyo won it while he is still alive. Ieshima vowed to continue to devote his life to the abolition of nuclear weapons.
The participants laid flowers at the graves, and renewed their pledge to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
The memorial event has been held every year, but the organizers say the one scheduled for next year is expected to be the last because of advanced age of the survivors and fewer people attending.
A woman who endured the atomic bombing in Nagasaki said she is glad activities by hibakusha have been recognized, as they have tried to tell people how horrible and cruel the atomic bombings were.
She added that she thinks most young people may not know about the bombings, and expressed her hope that the award will be an opportunity to spread awareness.