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She is a niece of the late John Anjain, who was committed to the campaign against atomic and hydrogen bombs. He was exposed to the radioactive ‘ashes of death’ from the hydrogen bomb test conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean in March 1954. The Japanese tuna fishing boat Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon No. 5) was also exposed to radioactive fallout from the test. This incident generated anti-nuclear momentum in Japan that led to the formation of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) in 1956.

I was very surprised the Japanese survivors, who have suffered similar damage caused by radiation as have we, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I was moved by a survivor on television who was rejoicing over the news. People exposed to radiation on Rongelap, where my ancestors lived, and my friends and colleagues in the government are also happy to hear the good news.

The United States conducted 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958 in the Marshall Islands. Former residents of Bikini and Rongelap Atolls, who were forced to evacuate due to radiation damage, have not yet been able to return to their home islands. The people and government of the Marshall Islands complain the United States has not compensated them enough by underestimating the area contaminated by the ‘ashes of death’ from the nuclear tests.

The health of innocent people has been damaged, and they lost their lands, traditional culture, and right to live freely. Today’s children of the displaced will never understand what “home island” means. We suspect that cancers and other diseases related to nuclear tests and forced relocation have continued to increase among these people. Some patients have no choice but to leave the Marshall Islands because of inadequate medical facilities. People are still suffering from the effects of the nuclear tests.

The United States government did not release the true extent of the nuclear impact saying it was classified. This is truly an injustice. The U.S. should formally and publicly apologize, clean up our islands, return displaced communities to their home islands, and provide assistance to rebuild communities.

The number of Marshallese with first-hand knowledge of the damage caused by the nuclear tests has dwindled. The Marshallese government has begun to focus on educating children about what happened.

Their lives were destroyed by the atomic bomb, and yet the Japanese survivors have remained steadfast and continue to advocate for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. They are very brave and vocal in teaching about the injustice of nuclear weapons not only in Japan but around the world. We need to educate young people about the impact of the weapon. I hope the Nihon Hidankyo will work in solidarity with nuclear victims around the world, including those in the Marshall Islands.

Neither Japan nor the Marshall Islands have joined the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). In an interview with the Chugoku Shimbun in March, Hilda Cathy Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, said she supports the TPNW but questions the treaty’s provisions that even countries affected by nuclear damage are responsible for taking measures for the environmental remediation of contaminated areas.

The Nihon Hidankyo is making great efforts to broaden support for the TPNW. I think the award to the organization will be a big boost to promote the TPNW. The Marshallese government is exploring all angles on how best to participate in the treaty.

(Interviewed by Michio Shimotaka, Staff Writer)

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Abacca Anjain-Maddison
Former senator representing the inhabitants of the Rongelap Atoll. She has visited Japan to participate in such meetings as the World Conference against A and H Bombs, where she spoke out about the nuclear damage to her country. She currently works for the government of the Marshall Islands. She is 57 years old.

(Originally published on November 25, 2024)