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A-bomb survivors’ group in city of Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, to be dissolved at end of March

by Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writer

The Fukuyama Atomic Bomb Survivors Association, chaired by Masaki Hironaka, will be dissolved at the end of March. The group, with more than 500 members who are A-bomb survivors or the children of A-bomb survivors, held a special board meeting on February 22 and came to the decision that it would be difficult to maintain the organization due to the advancing age of its board members, who have guided their work. This development is a sharp demonstration of the fact that the passage of 70 years since World War II has made it difficult for A-bomb survivors to sustain their activities, even in the second-largest city in Hiroshima Prefecture.

The meeting was held behind closed doors. According to a participant, the members discussed whether or not to dissolve the group at the end of this fiscal year. Of the 24 people in attendance, 23 cast votes and the majority of members were in favor of disbanding the group.

As the board members age, an increasing number have been facing medical issues. Since last year they have been discussing how to maintain the group, with some hoping the second-generation survivors would take over, but an agreement could not be reached. Toshihiko Sato, 73, the secretary general of the association, said, “I wish we could avoid dissolving the group, but it’s difficult because our members are growing older.”

Established in 1956, the association has promoted friendly ties among A-bomb survivors living in the eastern part of the prefecture, while sharing their A-bomb experiences with others. Every August 6, they have held a ceremony in Fukuyama for the victims of the Hiroshima bombing. Currently, the group has 512 members: 368 are survivors, 130 are second-generation survivors, and 14 are family members of A-bomb victims.

In the Chugoku Region, located in the westernmost part of Honshu, Japan’s main island, A-bomb survivors’ groups have dissolved one after another, including the Kochi Atomic Bomb Survivors Association, located in the city of Higashihiroshima. The Iwakuni association, the largest such group in Yamaguchi Prefecture, has been discussing whether or not the group should be maintained and how it could stay active.

Sunao Tsuboi, 89, the chairman of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, said, “It is becoming more difficult for the survivors to stay engaged in their activities. Considering the achievements of the group in Fukuyama, this is regrettable indeed.”

(Originally published on February 23, 2015)

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