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Japan urges ban on nukes 65 years after Nagasaki bombing
Published: 09 August, 2010, 09:04
Edited: 15 August, 2010, 09:54
Doves fly around the Peace Statue of the Peace Memorial Park after being released in the Memorial Ceremony for atomic bomb victims in Nagasaki, western Japan on August 9, 2010 (AFP Photo / Jiji Press)
(15.0Mb) embed videoTAGS: Anniversary, Nuclear, Asia
The Japanese city of Nagasaki has remembered those killed by the second atom bomb dropped by the US in 1945. A minute of silence was observed on Monday to commemorate the moment when the bomb wiped out most of the city.
Tens of thousands of people were incinerated instantly as the bomb nicknamed “Fat Man” buried the city under an explosion, with many more dying from diseases linked to radiation ever since.
Those who survived the attack say it was unjustifiably cruel and insist on a universal ban on nuclear weapons.
Sixty-five years ago Sumiteru Taniguchi was enjoying a simple morning bicycle ride when, in a tragic instant, his life changed forever.
“I was thrown to the ground and I heard an ear-piercing sound,” Sumiteru recalled. “I thought I had been killed, but I encouraged myself not to die, that it was important to go on living.”
At first Sumiteru noticed his bicycle had been twisted and bent out of shape, but as he started to move, he began to realize the severity of his own condition.
“On my left arm and shoulder all my skin was dripping off and I had severe burns on my body,” he said.
Eleven-year-old Yoshiko Yamakawa was at home with his twin brother, just two kilometers from the blast center at 11:02 on that fateful morning.
“At 11:02, I saw the flash of light and dove to the floor to cover my head, eyes and ears. There was a wave and our entire house crashed over us,” said Yoshiko.
Yoshiko went with his brothers to look for their father who worked at the Mitsubishi munitions plant, close to the heart of the explosion. Yoshiko recalls seeing countless charred bodies on the way to the plant.
“While crossing the river we were drawn to a woman who was walking with what looked like a white belt or cloth trailing behind her but when we took a closer look it was her intestines coming out of her stomach. There was nothing we could do,” Yoshiko said.
Those who experienced the event share stories of unimaginable horror, but what they still did not know at the moment – something no less troubling – was how long-lasting the residual effects of the radiation would be.
“We thought the radiation would decrease over time, but we have found that instances of cancer and radiation sicknesses have been increasing with A-bomb survivors,” said Dr. Masao Tomonaga, Director of the Nagasaki Red Cross Hospital. “It has lasted their entire lifetime. Sixty-five years and it is still going.”
Sumiteru Taniguchi has had continuous surgeries throughout his life to remove tumors on his back caused by the radiation. Today he declares the war did not end in 1945, but that its effects continue to this day. Even though Yoshiko Yamakawa was not as severely injured initially, as an adult he has endured liver disease and two types of cancer attributed to the bomb, not to mention the psychological damage.
“The atomic bomb was extremely cruel,” said Yoshiko. “America should never have dropped the bombs on human beings. The tests in New Mexico should have been the end of nuclear weapons once the full power of these weapons was known.”
“People use the word deterrent, but I do not believe that human beings can co-exist with nuclear arsenals,” said Sumiteru.
This is the main reason why the A-bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been pushing for peace and complete global nuclear disarmament.
Labour MP and Chair of the All Party Group on Global Security and Non-Proliferation Tony Lloyd believes there is still a threat of nuclear strikes around the world, and it should be taken very seriously.
“If you look at the history of the post-nuclear age, the reality is this – the world has been lucky that we didn't have more nuclear explosions. Nuclear accidents can take place even at this stage, at any point of time,” Lloyd told RT.
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In WWII the Japanese, who were allies of the Nazis, fought to their death. They were taught that surrendering was dishonorable. Excessive personnel losses at Okinawa and Iwo Jima prompted the U.S. to consider using the atomic bomb to bring a swift end to the fighting. Only after strong warnings of destruction were ignored by the Imperialistic Japanese did the US drop the bomb. Even days after the first bomb the Japanese did not surrender requiring a second bomb that finally convinced them that further resistance was futile. The Japanese had started the War with an unprovoked attack on the US Navy in the US port of Pearl Harbor Hawaii. The Japanese surely would have used the bomb on the US if it would have developed it first. Americans only cheered for the end of the war and were sad that so many people had to die the finally end the war that destroyed so much of Europe, Russia, and the East. As for today's wars, Americans are not cheering, the majority are calling for withdrawal from them, your bloodthirsty caricature of Americans is ignorant.
Compared to other news articles that only touch on the basics, I like how RT touched upon the issues of radiation in this article. Too many people believe that atomic bombs are no different than any other bomb. But as the name 'atomic' says, the bombs emit tons of radiation---way above levels accepted for people working in nuclear power plants and so on. There are reasons why we have to take precautions if we have X-rays taken, or if someone worked at a nuclear power plant. Why? Because we know that too much radiation is dangerous. People should keep that in mind if they ever contemplate on using one again (especially in civilian areas), which I hope that never happens. Why is there a double standard that we take precautions regarding radiation about X-Rays and nuclear power plants yet so many people seem to think it's OK to use radiation emitting bombs? Perhaps people in 1945 were less aware of the dangers of radiation. But we know more about radiation in 2010.