With prayers and brushes, names are added to register of A-bomb victims in Hiroshima
Jun. 17, 2015
by Tomoko Takamoto, Staff Writer
On June 10, the City of Hiroshima began the process of adding new names to the register of the A-bomb victims. The names of A-bomb survivors who have died since August 6, 2014, or their deaths from a prior time were recently confirmed, will be written to the register. At the Peace Memorial Ceremony to be held this August 6, the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the register will be placed into a stone chamber within the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
As of June 10, the City of Hiroshima has confirmed the deaths of an additional 2,707 A-bomb survivors. On the same day, Kazuko Ikegame, 73, and Nobuko Nakamoto, 72, residents of Minami Ward, began updating the register at Hiroshima City Hall. Both women are A-bomb survivors and former employees of the City of Hiroshima. After placing their palms together and offering a silent prayer, they used a brush to write each name, the date of death, and the person’s age at the time of death.
Ms. Nakamoto has been performing this role for the past 15 years. She said, “As I look at the age of the departed A-bomb victims, and imagine what they were doing at the time of the atomic bombing, I enter their names with my wish for a peaceful world.” They will bring the register book back to their homes to continue this task.
As of last August 5, the names of 292,325 people were listed in the register as victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and the register is now comprised of 106 volumes. There is another volume which states only “many people whose names are unknown,” and one more volume containing the names of nine victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. The City of Hiroshima will accept applications for entry in the register by 5 p.m. on August 5. For further information, please call the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department at 082-504-2191.
(Originally published on June 11, 2015)
On June 10, the City of Hiroshima began the process of adding new names to the register of the A-bomb victims. The names of A-bomb survivors who have died since August 6, 2014, or their deaths from a prior time were recently confirmed, will be written to the register. At the Peace Memorial Ceremony to be held this August 6, the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the register will be placed into a stone chamber within the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
As of June 10, the City of Hiroshima has confirmed the deaths of an additional 2,707 A-bomb survivors. On the same day, Kazuko Ikegame, 73, and Nobuko Nakamoto, 72, residents of Minami Ward, began updating the register at Hiroshima City Hall. Both women are A-bomb survivors and former employees of the City of Hiroshima. After placing their palms together and offering a silent prayer, they used a brush to write each name, the date of death, and the person’s age at the time of death.
Ms. Nakamoto has been performing this role for the past 15 years. She said, “As I look at the age of the departed A-bomb victims, and imagine what they were doing at the time of the atomic bombing, I enter their names with my wish for a peaceful world.” They will bring the register book back to their homes to continue this task.
As of last August 5, the names of 292,325 people were listed in the register as victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and the register is now comprised of 106 volumes. There is another volume which states only “many people whose names are unknown,” and one more volume containing the names of nine victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. The City of Hiroshima will accept applications for entry in the register by 5 p.m. on August 5. For further information, please call the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department at 082-504-2191.
(Originally published on June 11, 2015)
