Register of Nagasaki A-Bomb Victims Air-Dried

Nagasaki, May 22 (Jiji Press)–A register of people who died from the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 was aired out at a memorial park in the southwestern city on Friday for preservation. The register, which consists of 206 books containing the names of 202,053 victims, was exposed to the outside air to remove moisture at Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. After city employees offered a silent prayer at 11:02 a.m., the exact time the bomb was dropped on Aug. 9, 1945, they turned each page of the 206 books to check for any damage. The maintenance work is carried out annually in May before rainy season begins. The register records the victims’ names, dates of death, and ages. A further 3,173 victims were newly confirmed dead in the year through the end of July last year and added to the register. One of the 206 books is dedicated to the victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, western Japan, three days before Nagasaki, enshrined in the southwestern city as they or their family members wished. Another volume is for those whose names remain unknown. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]