PM Takaichi Urged to Recognize More Hibakusha

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was urged on Sunday to officially recognize more hibakusha survivors of the Aug. 9, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki. Some people who were exposed to radiation from the bomb have not been official recognized as hibakusha because they were outside locations designated as atomic-bombed areas by the government. On Sunday, Takaichi met with representatives from groups of officially recognized and unrecognized hibakusha at a hotel in Nagasaki. “Time is limited for us, so we seriously ask you to make a cabinet decision on support measures for both” recognized and unrecognized survivors, Shigemitsu Tanaka, 85, head of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, told the prime minister. In response, Takaichi said only that the government “has been providing unrecognized hibakusha with medical expense subsidies on par with aid to recognized hibakusha and will continue steadily implementing such support.” The meeting took place after the city held earlier on Sunday an annual peace memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing. Takaichi was among participants of the event. The ceremony came three days after the western Japan city of Hiroshima held its peace memorial ceremony for the 81st anniversary of the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the city. At the Sunday meeting, the hibakusha side also called on the prime minister to give legal status to Japan’s three nonnuclear principles–not possessing nuclear weapons, not producing them and not allowing their entry into the country. Takaichi said, “The country is firmly upholding the three nonnuclear principles.” But she stopped short of referring to a future direction regarding the principles. As in the previous year, participants from the group of unrecognized hibakusha were not given time for making comments. Chiyoko Iwanaga, 90, one of the unrecognized survivors, told Takaichi when the prime minister was leaving the room for the meeting that “Please recognize us as hibakusha, just like the 84 people,” who were given official recognition in a so-called black rain lawsuit over the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Takaichi did not give a reply. But Iwanaga said, “The prime minister listened attentively.” Showing concern about the old age of hibakusha, Iwanaga said, “I hope policies that do not cause war or damage will be implemented.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]