Nationwide survey: 90% of A-bomb survivors’ organizations view President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima as “meaningful”
Jul. 31, 2016
by Hidetoshi Arioka, Staff Writer
Timed for the 6oth anniversary of the founding of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), comprised of A-bomb survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, on August 10, the Chugoku Shimbun carried out a nationwide survey of A-bomb survivors’ prefectural organizations across the nation and local organizations in the five prefectures of the Chugoku region, including Hiroshima.
Regarding President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima this past May, 94 of the 105 organizations (about 90%) said that it was “meaningful.” With respect to the question about whether or not an apology for the atomic bombing is needed, the number of organizations which said “we don’t think so” was slightly larger than that of organizations which said “we think so.”
As for his visit to Hiroshima, 47 organizations each (a total of 89.5%) said the first-ever visit by an American president to an A-bombed city since the A-bomb attacks 71 years ago was “very meaningful” or “somewhat meaningful.” About 8.6% of the organizations said either “not so meaningful” or “not meaningful at all,” and 1.9% said “yes and no.”
Regarding the reasons the president’s visit was judged favorably, 75 organizations said “the president offered a wreath of flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims to mourn the victims.” In addition, 44 organizations said “the president exchanged a few words with A-bomb survivors,” and 40 organizations said “the president looked at artifacts at the Peace Memorial Museum.”
As to why the president’s visit was “not meaningful,” the largest number said “the president did not listen to accounts by A-bomb survivors.” (Multiple answers were allowed.)
On the occasion of the president’s visit to Hiroshima, the question of apologizing for the atomic bombing became a subject of debate. Whether the next U.S. president to visit Hiroshima should offer an apology at that time, 36.2% said “we don’t think it necessary” while 30.5% said “we think it necessary.” With 28.6% responding “yes and no,” views over the issue were divided. Most of the organizations that said “we don’t think it necessary” explained that “realizing the abolition of nuclear weapons is a higher priority than an apology.”
The survey targeted a total of 122 organizations (prefectural organizations across the nation and local organizations of the five prefectures in the Chugoku region, including Hiroshima). In all, 115 organizations responded to the survey. Among the questions, the answers to three (how the organization views the president’s visit, the need for an apology, and sentiments toward the United States) were sought from an A-bomb survivor who is the representative of the group. A total of 105 organizations answered these questions.
Among the prefectural organizations that belong to the Nihon Hidankyo, the Wakayama prefectural organization in Wakayama Prefecture disbanded in June 2015. There are no prefectural organizations in Nara and Shiga prefectures. In the Chugoku region, the local organization in Yoshika-cho in Shimane Prefecture disbanded in November 2015. Local organizations in Innoshima in Onomichi City, Fuchu City and Hamada City disbanded earlier this year as well.
About the survey
Questionnaires were handed out or sent by mail in mid-June. After the responses were received, a telephone interview was conducted. The nationwide survey involved 44 organizations in 43 prefectures, comprising the Nihon Hidankyo; The Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma) as an observer entry; and the Tsuruoka Survivors Association in Tsuruoka City, in Yamagata Prefecture (Yamagata Prefecture has no prefectural organization). The organization in Tokushima Prefecture which had withdrawn from Hidankyo in 1987 did not respond to the survey. In the Chugoku region, 77 local organizations making up the prefectural organizations were covered by the survey. Among them 71 local organizations responded to the survey.
(Originally published on July 31, 2016)
Timed for the 6oth anniversary of the founding of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), comprised of A-bomb survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, on August 10, the Chugoku Shimbun carried out a nationwide survey of A-bomb survivors’ prefectural organizations across the nation and local organizations in the five prefectures of the Chugoku region, including Hiroshima.
Regarding President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima this past May, 94 of the 105 organizations (about 90%) said that it was “meaningful.” With respect to the question about whether or not an apology for the atomic bombing is needed, the number of organizations which said “we don’t think so” was slightly larger than that of organizations which said “we think so.”
As for his visit to Hiroshima, 47 organizations each (a total of 89.5%) said the first-ever visit by an American president to an A-bombed city since the A-bomb attacks 71 years ago was “very meaningful” or “somewhat meaningful.” About 8.6% of the organizations said either “not so meaningful” or “not meaningful at all,” and 1.9% said “yes and no.”
Regarding the reasons the president’s visit was judged favorably, 75 organizations said “the president offered a wreath of flowers at the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims to mourn the victims.” In addition, 44 organizations said “the president exchanged a few words with A-bomb survivors,” and 40 organizations said “the president looked at artifacts at the Peace Memorial Museum.”
As to why the president’s visit was “not meaningful,” the largest number said “the president did not listen to accounts by A-bomb survivors.” (Multiple answers were allowed.)
On the occasion of the president’s visit to Hiroshima, the question of apologizing for the atomic bombing became a subject of debate. Whether the next U.S. president to visit Hiroshima should offer an apology at that time, 36.2% said “we don’t think it necessary” while 30.5% said “we think it necessary.” With 28.6% responding “yes and no,” views over the issue were divided. Most of the organizations that said “we don’t think it necessary” explained that “realizing the abolition of nuclear weapons is a higher priority than an apology.”
The survey targeted a total of 122 organizations (prefectural organizations across the nation and local organizations of the five prefectures in the Chugoku region, including Hiroshima). In all, 115 organizations responded to the survey. Among the questions, the answers to three (how the organization views the president’s visit, the need for an apology, and sentiments toward the United States) were sought from an A-bomb survivor who is the representative of the group. A total of 105 organizations answered these questions.
Among the prefectural organizations that belong to the Nihon Hidankyo, the Wakayama prefectural organization in Wakayama Prefecture disbanded in June 2015. There are no prefectural organizations in Nara and Shiga prefectures. In the Chugoku region, the local organization in Yoshika-cho in Shimane Prefecture disbanded in November 2015. Local organizations in Innoshima in Onomichi City, Fuchu City and Hamada City disbanded earlier this year as well.
About the survey
Questionnaires were handed out or sent by mail in mid-June. After the responses were received, a telephone interview was conducted. The nationwide survey involved 44 organizations in 43 prefectures, comprising the Nihon Hidankyo; The Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma) as an observer entry; and the Tsuruoka Survivors Association in Tsuruoka City, in Yamagata Prefecture (Yamagata Prefecture has no prefectural organization). The organization in Tokushima Prefecture which had withdrawn from Hidankyo in 1987 did not respond to the survey. In the Chugoku region, 77 local organizations making up the prefectural organizations were covered by the survey. Among them 71 local organizations responded to the survey.
(Originally published on July 31, 2016)
