Fading Family A-Bomb Memories Spur 2nd Generation in Hiroshima

Hiroshima, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–The family transmission of atomic bombing experiences in Hiroshima, a city in western Japan, is fading, as fewer children hear hibakusha survivors’ accounts from their grandparents, prompting second-generation descendants to carry the stories forward. A survey by the Hiroshima municipal board of education found that fewer than one in five elementary, junior high and high school students had heard about the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the city from their grandparents. The survey, conducted in fiscal 2025, covered 3,630 students. Among elementary school students, 19.8 pct said they had heard about the atomic bombing or World War II from their grandparents, down from 38.9 pct a decade earlier. The figures fell to 16.8 pct from 32.8 pct for junior high school students and to 13.8 pct from 30.8 pct for high school students, all record lows. There were 91,105 certified hibakusha as of the end of March, with their average age reaching 86.66, according to the health ministry. As the number of hibakusha continues to dwindle, efforts by second-generation descendants to preserve firsthand accounts are gathering momentum. The Hiroshima Prefectural Medical Association this summer compiled memoirs by 15 physicians, all second-generation hibakusha descendants, based on stories passed down by their parents, and is displaying them at its headquarters in the city. Makoto Matsumura, 76, head of the association, wrote about how his mother, who died in 2024 at age 97, narrowly reached relatives after the bombing and reflected on the anguish she likely carried when giving birth to him. “As a second-generation hibakusha, passing on the reality of the atomic bombing is part of protecting future lives,” he wrote. “I intend to fulfill that responsibility and mission.” Keiko Hiyama, 68, executive director of the association, said that while preparing her contribution, she heard her mother’s account of the bombing for the first time. Hiyama wrote about the complex emotions felt by her mother, who survived because she had been evacuated before the bombing. She also expressed regret that she never asked her late grandfather, a physician who treated bombing victims, about his experiences. “I believe many second-generation hibakusha in Hiroshima still have not heard their parents’ stories,” Hiyama said. “I hope they will listen directly to their parents and relatives and pass those memories on to the next generation.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]