Name list of unclaimed A-bomb victims within Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound is displayed across Japan
Jul. 18, 2019
(by Minami Yamashita, Staff Writer)
On July 17, a name list of 814 people, victims of the atomic bombing whose remains are unclaimed, was posted in many locations across Japan. The names of these victims have been identified but their remains are still within the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound because no family members have come forward to claim them. The mound is located in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima and holds the remains of about 70,000 victims. The list will be displayed until the end of October in the hope that inquiries will be made by family members.
The list is contained on a poster of two different sizes, B1 and B2. Under the heading “Looking for family members of A-bomb victims,” the names are listed in order of the 50 characters of the Japanese syllabary. Some include additional information such as their age at the time of death or their former address.
In Hiroshima, the poster is on display in 192 locations including eight ward offices and JR Hiroshima Station. Masahiko Kaneko, 60, an office worker and resident of Naka Ward, who looked at the list posted at the Hiroshima Bus Center, said, “My parents told me that the remains of a relative who died in the atomic bombing were never found. Seeing this list of the unclaimed victims for the first time, I looked for that relative’s name. But I couldn’t find it.”
The City of Hiroshima began issuing the list of names in 1968, and has been sending the list to places throughout Japan every year, for posting, since 1985. There have been no new cases of remains being claimed since November 2017. The city official in charge of the effort said, “We’re trying to get as much information as we can about the identities of the victims so we can return their remains to members of their bereaved families. Please contact us with whatever information you have.”
For inquiries, please call the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department at 082-504-2191.
(Originally published on July 18, 2019)
On July 17, a name list of 814 people, victims of the atomic bombing whose remains are unclaimed, was posted in many locations across Japan. The names of these victims have been identified but their remains are still within the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound because no family members have come forward to claim them. The mound is located in the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, Hiroshima and holds the remains of about 70,000 victims. The list will be displayed until the end of October in the hope that inquiries will be made by family members.
The list is contained on a poster of two different sizes, B1 and B2. Under the heading “Looking for family members of A-bomb victims,” the names are listed in order of the 50 characters of the Japanese syllabary. Some include additional information such as their age at the time of death or their former address.
In Hiroshima, the poster is on display in 192 locations including eight ward offices and JR Hiroshima Station. Masahiko Kaneko, 60, an office worker and resident of Naka Ward, who looked at the list posted at the Hiroshima Bus Center, said, “My parents told me that the remains of a relative who died in the atomic bombing were never found. Seeing this list of the unclaimed victims for the first time, I looked for that relative’s name. But I couldn’t find it.”
The City of Hiroshima began issuing the list of names in 1968, and has been sending the list to places throughout Japan every year, for posting, since 1985. There have been no new cases of remains being claimed since November 2017. The city official in charge of the effort said, “We’re trying to get as much information as we can about the identities of the victims so we can return their remains to members of their bereaved families. Please contact us with whatever information you have.”
For inquiries, please call the Atomic Bomb Survivors Relief Department at 082-504-2191.
(Originally published on July 18, 2019)
