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by Miho Kuwajima, Staff Writer

“The inhumanity of nuclear weapons surely got across to the visitors,” said Masaru Nanko, 92, an A-bomb survivor and a resident of the area of Fuchu-cho, in Hiroshima Prefecture, on May 19, when world leaders attending the summit meeting of the G7 (Group of Seven industrialized nations) toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, in the city’s Naka Ward. Mr. Nanko, whose younger brother’s belonging is displayed at the museum, expressed his growing anticipation for the abolition of nuclear weapons. But he also revealed his bitter disappointment that, “U.S. President Biden didn’t offer an apology.”

On that day, Mr. Nanko was staring intently at a television at 10 a.m., when Peace Memorial Park appeared on the screen during a live broadcast. Watching as G7 leaders entered the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum one by one, he waited for Mr. Biden to appear. As Mr. Nanko waited for the U.S. president to get out of the car, he remarked impatiently, “Hurry. You’ll have less time for the tour.”

Mr. Nanko’s younger brother, Osamu, was a first-year student at First Hiroshima Prefectural Junior High School (present-day Kokutaiji High School) at the time of the atomic bombing. Osamu experienced the atomic bombing on that day when he was engaged in the demolition of buildings to create fire lanes in the central part of the city as part of the war effort. Osamu was brought back to his family’s house in the area of Ujina-machi (in the city’s Minami Ward) on a bicycle by a man they did not know. His brother continued to clutch in his hands a leather belt, which is now on display at the museum, until the last moments of his life.

“His body was burned crimson red, and his head and face were swollen. Such horrible mass murder has to be considered a grave crime.” Mr. Nanko has expressed his outrage for decades, writing letters to newspapers and sharing his own A-bombing experience. Seven years ago, he was disappointed when then-U.S. President Barack Obama only stayed at the museum for ten minutes. He considers the G7 Hiroshima Summit to be “an ideal opportunity for world leaders to visit the museum amid Russia’s threats to use nuclear weapons.” Above all else, he has hoped that the world leaders would take a lengthy tour of the museum.

His wish was at last fulfilled. Mr. Nanko said, “My mother used to take the belt from the family Buddhist altar and gently rub it every morning and night. I’m sure the belt was seen by Mr. Biden and the other leaders.” While watching the G7 leaders offering wreaths of flowers on television, Mr. Nanko offered his honest opinion. “The tour of the museum should not end with them simply viewing A-bombed artifacts,” said Mr. Nanko. “Utilizing their feelings from today to take another step toward nuclear abolition will lend significance to Hiroshima’s hosting the summit.”

(Originally published on May 20, 2023)