Hiroshima city’s first comprehensive nationwide survey—61.5% of Hiroshima A-bomb survivors hold Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificate as of March end
Sep. 29, 2023
by Yu Kawakami, Staff Writer
On September 28, the City of Hiroshima announced a breakdown of those A-bomb survivors in possession of an Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificate by their location at the time of the A-bombings. For the first time, data for both Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities and all prefectures are available. As of the end of March, 69,877 people, or 61.5 percent of those in possession of a certificate, were exposed to the A-bombing in Hiroshima, and 43,344, or 38.1 percent, in Nagasaki.
Including the 438 survivors whose bombing location is unknown, the total number of A-bomb certificate holders was 113,659. Since some people who were exposed to the A-bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were counted in both locations of exposure, the total number is ten more than the total number as of the end of March compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
The certificates are issued by the municipal governments of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities and each prefecture. By prefecture, 53,011 people, or 75.9 percent, of those exposed to the A-bombing were in Hiroshima Prefecture, followed by 2,239 in Tokyo, 2,041 in Osaka Prefecture, and 1,460 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagasaki Prefecture accounted for 27,863, or 64.3 percent of the Nagasaki A-bomb survivors, followed by 3,366 in Fukuoka Prefecture and 1,657 in Osaka Prefecture.
The City of Hiroshima has been compiling its own breakdown of A-bomb survivors by location for two years, but until now there were some municipalities that had not responded. A staff member of the city government’s Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department said, “We determined such information was necessary and asked the various prefectures for their cooperation.”
(Originally published on September 29, 2023)
On September 28, the City of Hiroshima announced a breakdown of those A-bomb survivors in possession of an Atomic Bomb Survivor’s Certificate by their location at the time of the A-bombings. For the first time, data for both Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities and all prefectures are available. As of the end of March, 69,877 people, or 61.5 percent of those in possession of a certificate, were exposed to the A-bombing in Hiroshima, and 43,344, or 38.1 percent, in Nagasaki.
Including the 438 survivors whose bombing location is unknown, the total number of A-bomb certificate holders was 113,659. Since some people who were exposed to the A-bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were counted in both locations of exposure, the total number is ten more than the total number as of the end of March compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
The certificates are issued by the municipal governments of Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities and each prefecture. By prefecture, 53,011 people, or 75.9 percent, of those exposed to the A-bombing were in Hiroshima Prefecture, followed by 2,239 in Tokyo, 2,041 in Osaka Prefecture, and 1,460 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagasaki Prefecture accounted for 27,863, or 64.3 percent of the Nagasaki A-bomb survivors, followed by 3,366 in Fukuoka Prefecture and 1,657 in Osaka Prefecture.
The City of Hiroshima has been compiling its own breakdown of A-bomb survivors by location for two years, but until now there were some municipalities that had not responded. A staff member of the city government’s Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department said, “We determined such information was necessary and asked the various prefectures for their cooperation.”
(Originally published on September 29, 2023)
