tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78968995450190547162024-03-13T11:30:51.707-07:00Hibakushas' Legacy : Hope for PeaceDedicated to promoting peace <br>by telling the stories of the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors)darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-27973598194622976232020-12-30T15:04:00.007-08:002020-12-30T16:13:23.521-08:00Peace on Earth<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LJyYwy3Pvpl0M6kNO8Kee03wtf5jBdsBdWZyGXiUtymOuuSfkfJVjWwNQ9aj4mtYMb2ClHn4Ts3fkKs_9bUEqD5R-RUOKWT8g1yaVX-WqyglPzX3pOINywTaxxnq-Lz8kTnSHKKNTNs/s1125/PeaceCranes_1732web.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1125" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LJyYwy3Pvpl0M6kNO8Kee03wtf5jBdsBdWZyGXiUtymOuuSfkfJVjWwNQ9aj4mtYMb2ClHn4Ts3fkKs_9bUEqD5R-RUOKWT8g1yaVX-WqyglPzX3pOINywTaxxnq-Lz8kTnSHKKNTNs/w320-h181/PeaceCranes_1732web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Peace on Earth is a phrase we often see and use during the holiday season. It is a sentiment that is shared by people around the world from all walks of life. A holiday wish that we all hope would be granted during our lifetime.</p><p>This hope for peace runs deep with the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors). They were eye-witnesses to mankind's worst act of violence against innocent people in all of history. They have seen and felt the devastation that nuclear weapons have had on the land, on the people and on themselves. It is personal for them. </p><p>It is their stories and their experiences that has led to the Hibakusha's Legacy: Hope for Peace project that began as an idea back in 2009. The original idea was to photograph atomic bomb survivors and create a traveling exhibit to promote peace by sharing their stories, but it has morphed into more, including some haikus based on their testimonies.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRj_9CPL8-OgdIErbFmNPpqtfSZDIrOO8EgWrdbiHZ6neRQOqGhumz9V2UglwEpNAHhg4_Y_0mTE8-YNio61qKLLx0Ua9SLO9LUyb6eiYzsLPOOyuV-xVpho-NzdiiRfRsWLuWJeztJYE/s2048/Taniguchi_Haiku_6233sqig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRj_9CPL8-OgdIErbFmNPpqtfSZDIrOO8EgWrdbiHZ6neRQOqGhumz9V2UglwEpNAHhg4_Y_0mTE8-YNio61qKLLx0Ua9SLO9LUyb6eiYzsLPOOyuV-xVpho-NzdiiRfRsWLuWJeztJYE/w320-h320/Taniguchi_Haiku_6233sqig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>After meeting with over 400 survivors in Japan, South Korea, Brazil and the USA, it became clear that documenting their stories on video would be a necessary part of the exhibit because hearing them talk about their experiences was far more impactful than taking a still photograph. Together, they provide deeper insight into what happened and how it affected the people who survived. Click on this link to see a compilation of some of the interviews done from 2011-2013. <a href="https://youtu.be/v1RadZJ5thU" target="_blank">Hope for Peace video</a></p><p>Sharing their stories has become my life's work. Unfortunately, they will not be with us forever. The average age of the hibakusha is now 83-years old, so it is important that we document as many of their stories as we can while they are still able to. As a Director for the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors (ASA), I would like to humbly request your support so that we can continue to document their stories. We still have over 75 hibakusha in 6 countries - Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Canada and the United States - who have said they want to share their stories. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dQy8dqlMOlEaf_Lld8kZ4WtnRyfaDvTCkbT6esqXI62drLuWBRiVQtdp9rn5xRXp-F01aDtZmdxYoboLGQyWLtcE4DroZmCDJ2lVuSy7QF9WmSBBE4C0mNB60n3dYb0tYf54sIMbL4c/s2048/Namba_Haiku_5237ig.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dQy8dqlMOlEaf_Lld8kZ4WtnRyfaDvTCkbT6esqXI62drLuWBRiVQtdp9rn5xRXp-F01aDtZmdxYoboLGQyWLtcE4DroZmCDJ2lVuSy7QF9WmSBBE4C0mNB60n3dYb0tYf54sIMbL4c/w320-h320/Namba_Haiku_5237ig.jpg" title="Wataru Namba" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>If Peace on Earth rings in your heart, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors. We are a 501(c)3 organization based in Southern California and can provide a receipt for your contribution. Please see the 'donations' instructions on the right (web/desktop version) on how to send us a donation. We are working on adding an online link on our website, but it is not fully functional yet. We apologize for the inconvenience.<br /></p><p>For more information about ASA, <a href="https://www.nomorehibakusha.org/" target="_blank">please click here to visit our website.</a> <br /></p><p>Thank you for your support. Arigatou gozaimashita! Peace begins with us. </p><p>Darrell Miho, Director, ASA<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-73165680614057882702017-09-27T22:39:00.002-07:002017-09-27T22:44:10.337-07:00Rest in Peace Taniguchi-san<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMh068PEtjeKIhFCCQxnDf5f57VB91cTaPCVheXJz0xpNS16lGcA_9W3_KWM5SgTWrMfI9CscZXzqhBl4_Q69s6pXSi9PqFcazU0ZvLjb08x46fS7T8nz2S6LFOjRl9WUMGXt7h9LSrU/s1600/Taniguchi_6233obitweb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMh068PEtjeKIhFCCQxnDf5f57VB91cTaPCVheXJz0xpNS16lGcA_9W3_KWM5SgTWrMfI9CscZXzqhBl4_Q69s6pXSi9PqFcazU0ZvLjb08x46fS7T8nz2S6LFOjRl9WUMGXt7h9LSrU/s400/Taniguchi_6233obitweb.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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On August 30, 2017, Sumiteru Taniguchi passed away from cancer. He was 88 years old. As a living hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor), Taniguchi-san had first hand knowledge of how devastating a nuclear weapon can be and he used his voice to speak out against nuclear weapons.
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I first met Taniguchi-san in 2009 at the World Conference Against A- and H-Bombs (WCAAHB) in Nagasaki, Japan. The annual conference meets in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and brings together peace advocates from around the world. Taniguchi-san came to the closing reception to meet with us and encourage us to continue our pursuits for a world free of nuclear weapons.
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I have to admit, when I first met him, I really didn’t know who he was or anything about his experience. I only knew that he was a famous hibakusha from Nagasaki. Later in the evening, Taniguchi-san was talking to a couple of us when someone asked him if he could show us his scars. He slowly unbuttoned shirt and lifted it over his shoulder and my eyes grew wide and I’m sure by jaw was touching the floor. I could not believe what my eyes were seeing.
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His back was completely covered in scars and looked like peanut butter slathered on a piece of bread. The skin on his left side was fused around his ribs leaving gaping holes in between. You could almost grab his ribs and pull them out.
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On August 9, 1945, Taniguchi-san was riding his bike, delivering mail when a plutonium bomb was detonated over Nagasaki. He was a little over a mile away from the hypocenter when he was knocked to the ground by the heat blast. His back and left side were completely burned. His skin was hanging from his hand and arm. His back, raw and exposed.
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The blast was so strong that he said he had to cling to the ground to stay where he was, but he remembers seeing a child literally get blown away. His bike was twisted and useless. Mail was scattered all around, but he mustered up enough strength to gather it all and place it back in the bag next to his bike. He could hear people calling out for help but he couldn’t even help himself.
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A stranger carried him up to a hillside where other survivors were gathered. At night, he said there were so many fires scattered around the city that it almost looked like it was day time.
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The next morning, everyone around him was dead. Rescue crews came by, but he was too weak to call out to them. They thought he was dead too. It would be another two days, before he was finally rescued.
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He spent the next three years and nine months in various hospitals recovering from the burns to his body. One year and nine months of that time was spent lying on his stomach. Initially, he said, he felt no pain because his nerves were dead. But as his body slowly healed, the pain became excruciating. A year later, the maggots came.
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After his discharge from the hospital, Taniguchi-san became an outspoken advocate for the abolishment of all nuclear weapons. He was active in the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council since it’s inception in 1956 and served as the chairman since 2006. He was appointed co-chair of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization in 2010 and since 2008, he also served on the committee to draft the Peace Declaration read by the Mayor of Nagasaki at the annual ceremony. He traveled throughout Japan and the world to talk about his experience, to show people his scars and to urge people and world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons.
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At one point, he contemplated suicide, but as he stood on the top of a hill overlooking the sea, he thought that it was better for him to speak out on behalf of all the people who were killed by the atomic bombs. It was better to live for those who died.
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I was lucky enough to interview and photograph Taniguchi-san for the Hibakushas’ Legacy: Hope for Peace project, which is preserving the hibakushas’ stories. We are in the process of interviewing over 100 hibakusha from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Brazil and the United States, so that future generations can hear Taniguchi-san’s story and other hibakushas’ stories first hand and learn what happened to the people who survived the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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[you can support this project on indeiegogo <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="origin" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Figg.me%2Fat%2Fatomicbombsurvivors&h=ATNLTyqmMs3np_McV1yIDtjokPtgPOBPvChD-4vKvUmpSDGqZYzptDdCnRrE_VHcmtILFL-fnqZ_P3kdHDS8TecrEDEoRqyr_3D89urv8k-ahNUwvhz6f31LSxI2U_bvnFOQgyg5x-8u5Wxnlqq1961Fgu5YqoohSD7JkRXEHbJijaVIk7uQOqjy05rn6dH0lqXEMcrebPgOiwQZv9VMJG4zYQsvj8ECY6frWY8lqzRi6q3ynM7FFpA3_vntdfAvka6-vygfE60XqCNEQDqUN_AgofqjsbgUvxDf6qplhSo" href="https://igg.me/at/atomicbombsurvivors" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://igg.me/at/atomicbombsurvivors</a> ]<br />
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I am sad that we have lost one of our champions for world peace. The last time I saw him was again at the WCAAHB in Nagasaki in 2015. I could see that he was slowing down and his speech had become slurred. But his passion and spirit were as strong as ever. He managed to stand in front of over 2,000 fellow peace advocates to encourage us to continue to fight for a world free of nuclear weapons.
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His courage and strength to publicly speak about his experience, at a time when most survivors kept quiet due to the stigma attached to being a hibakusha, as well as speaking out against nuclear weapons, in a culture that is raised to be silent, is truly admirable.
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His hope, as is the hope of every hibakusha I have ever spoken with, was to live in a world free of nuclear weapons. I told him that I would do what I can to tell his story and to help make his dream come true. Unfortunately, this did not happen during his lifetime, but I am grateful that he lived long enough to see the progress that had been made due to his and other peace advocates’ hard work.
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On July 7th of this year, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which basically states that any nation that signs the treaty agrees never to develop, test, produce or stockpile nuclear weapons, nor transfer or receive such weapons, never to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons and to assist anyone affected by a nuclear weapon.
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This treaty is now open for signatures at the UN General Assembly meeting being held in New York City. As of the date of this writing, 53 nations have signed it and at least 122 out of 190 nations are expected to do so. The United States is not expected to be one of them.
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Regarding the treaty, the Mainichi Daily reported that Taniguchi-san said in a video message, "I'm very glad. I'd like (the countries concerned) to make efforts to rid the world of nuclear arms as early as possible."
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Rest in peace Taniguchi-san. Because of you, and all of the hibakusha who have gone before you, we will continue to campaign for a world free of nuclear weapons. darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-8737229759007416852016-05-09T18:09:00.000-07:002016-05-09T18:17:59.679-07:00Peace Begins With US<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuAvb2yEqNzkE1yd2LDg3MA5nnJZ5QcVSOIvU4rymWBpppVwCDiOXNbCzjAC55UvZJueuzofS7REBMOjoCjtjMXPRfqWBOFbZEGZxSu2VGopGHPRJZ2UXtppfxPwO2-AAPq5WaNyn-M8/s1600/OrigamiCrane_1542web.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuAvb2yEqNzkE1yd2LDg3MA5nnJZ5QcVSOIvU4rymWBpppVwCDiOXNbCzjAC55UvZJueuzofS7REBMOjoCjtjMXPRfqWBOFbZEGZxSu2VGopGHPRJZ2UXtppfxPwO2-AAPq5WaNyn-M8/s400/OrigamiCrane_1542web.jpg" /></a>
Peace Begins With US
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Darrell Miho and the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb Survivors [ASA] have started a campaign to send 1,000 Hiroshima postcards to President Barack Obama, to encourage him to visit Hiroshima.
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After US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Hiroshima in April, there is renewed hope that President Obama will follow suit and visit Hiroshima during his visit to Japan for the G7 Summit, May 26 & 27.
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So we started the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/999021070188308" target="_blank">Peace Begins With US</a> postcard campaign to encourage President Obama to visit Hiroshima. Darrell was in Japan and went to Hiroshima April 18 and bought over 1,000 Hiroshima postcards and we are asking people from around the world to help us send these postcards to President Obama and invite him to visit Hiroshima later this month.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrytX6srQEA2YPN7o_Vrw2yVAQIXrdIYRuOSV4v8lINlaRhsaL4dLSxaJYPyXyyPyO9LGRSpu7nNi6aALlxu17ofdKA_np1H-tlWZEiCXW4SmVdDnHXl2VQCZYiO-YJNTJVezyw_LNtb8/s1600/Hiroshima_0721blg.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrytX6srQEA2YPN7o_Vrw2yVAQIXrdIYRuOSV4v8lINlaRhsaL4dLSxaJYPyXyyPyO9LGRSpu7nNi6aALlxu17ofdKA_np1H-tlWZEiCXW4SmVdDnHXl2VQCZYiO-YJNTJVezyw_LNtb8/s400/Hiroshima_0721blg.jpg" /></a>
Japanese legend says that if you fold 1,000 cranes, the Gods will grant you a wish. Many people send <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_thousand_origami_cranes" target="_blank">senzaburu</a> (a thousand origami cranes strung together) to Hiroshima as a symbol of peace. This is largely attributed to Sadako Sasaki, who was 2 years old when the bomb detonated over her hometown of Hiroshima. She was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12 and started folding cranes in the hospital. Her wish was to be cured of her illness. She folded over 1,000 cranes, but unfortunately, she died later that year. You can read <a href="http://darrellmiho.blogspot.com/2009/02/hibakusha-project-story-of-sadako.html" target="_blank">more about Sadako's story here</a>.
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So we added a little twist. Instead of 1,000 cranes, we are sending over 1,000 postcards, in honor of Sadako. Our wish is for President Obama to visit Hiroshima.
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If you and some of your friends can send a postcard, please <a href="mailto:info@darrellmiho.com">send us an email</a> and we will send you 5? 10? or however many postcards you and your friends can send. the postcards and postage are all paid for (if sent from the US or Japan). All you and your friends have to do is write a message and send them.
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You can also visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HibakushasLegacy/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> to keep up to date with issues related to the hibakusha and world peace.
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Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!!! Thank you!!!
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Peace begins with US!!!darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-45758444049497672352014-07-27T20:38:00.000-07:002014-07-27T21:05:24.931-07:00Hibakushas' Legacy Video 1I edited some of the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) interviews from Japan to create this 8:18 video that describes what they remembered from the day the bomb was dropped on their city. It was originally shown at the <a href="http://projecthibakusha.blogspot.com/2013/09/international-peace-day-mini-exhibit.html" target="_blank">mini-exhibit</a> last year in September.<br />
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The hibakusha in the video are Ernest Arai (Hiroshima), Isao Aratani (Hiroshima), Keiko Ogura (Hiroshima) and Sumiteru Taniguchi (Nagasaki).<br />
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I wish to thank all of the survivors who have taken the time to openly talk about their personal stories with me, as well as all of the volunteers who have helped me along the way and all the donors who have made this project possible.darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-79673082364844942392013-09-13T02:59:00.001-07:002013-09-15T00:10:42.969-07:00International Peace Day mini-exhibit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Project Hibakusha : Hope for Peace</i> has officially been changed to <i>Hibakushas’ Legacy : Hope for Peace</i> to better reflect the purpose of the project, which is to continue to share the hibakushas’ (atomic bomb survivors) experiences with the world and to carry on their hope for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons.<br />
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With that said, on September 21st, 2013, in honor of International Peace Day, we will begin to share the hibakushas’ stories at the <a href="http://www.jaccc.org/" target="_blank">Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC)</a> in Little Tokyo.
For nine days only, a mini-exhibit will be on display in the Doizaki Gallery to give the public it’s first peek into the ongoing photo and video project documenting the real life experiences of hibakusha. Visitors will get a glimpse into what happened on those fateful days in Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the people who survived the bombings.<br />
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At 2:00pm, an open forum will be held and a few hibakusha will be on hand to talk about their experiences. Audience members will be encouraged to ask questions so that they can learn more about what life was like for the hibakusha and their families.<br />
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The forum will be followed by an artist’s reception and short program. <a href="http://www.darrellmiho.com/" target="_blank">Darrell Miho</a>, the photographer, will be on hand to discuss the project and the importance of preserving the hibakushas' stories.
We must never forget the suffering that the hibakushas have endured for the past 68 years nor the tragedies that befell so many innocent lives.<br />
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It is now our responsibility to share their stories. We need to educate the world on how nuclear weapons affect people’s lives to ensure that no one else suffers the heartaches and loss that the hibakusha have. And most importantly, to carry on their hope for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons.
<br />
<br />
Hibakushas’ Legacy : Hope for Peace<br />
September 21 (International Peace Day) - September 29, 2013<br />
Japanese American Cultural and Community Center<br />
244 South San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012<br />
<a href="http://www.jaccc.org/map.php" target="_blank">(map and directions)</a><br />
Admission is FREE!<br />
<br />
Saturday, September 21 : 11:00am - 6:30pm<br />
2:00pm - Open forum : hibakusha will share their personal<br />
experiences<br />
5:00pm - Reception and short program<br />
<br />
Everyday, September 22 - 29 : 11:00am - 4:00pm
darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-14886806496062138472012-02-01T15:19:00.000-08:002012-05-10T09:53:44.065-07:00The Journey Has Begun...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDBxcDv-qvEtCIKHoLxocoo8cqle-_njLR4Pq4G7qt1BSE-g6KBcnKmOj1IwXPuYpue2Lf5ud6emxQLjYsD8yoijZqYQbAMcuxZI-NRGviw8HMVgWOqjR2x-39M21ElArEGM94p-O0Dc/s1600/Hirai_6415blg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDBxcDv-qvEtCIKHoLxocoo8cqle-_njLR4Pq4G7qt1BSE-g6KBcnKmOj1IwXPuYpue2Lf5ud6emxQLjYsD8yoijZqYQbAMcuxZI-NRGviw8HMVgWOqjR2x-39M21ElArEGM94p-O0Dc/s320/Hirai_6415blg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is a much delayed posting that was written back in May of 2011. I was a little sidetracked as my friend Ken and I have been busy doing relief work in the Tohoku area documenting survivor stories and providing direct aid to the people who were seriously affected by the triple disaster. You can see what we have been doing on our website at <a href="http://www.AiLoveJapan.org/" target="_blank">Ai Love Japan</a> or on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AiLoveJapan" target="_blank">Facebook page</a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">But back to Project Hibakusha : Hope for Peace…<br />
<br />
May 31, 2011<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Journey has begun. On Tuesday, May 2<sup>nd</sup>, Matsui-san and I headed to Japan on what is to be the first of many trips to document the hibakusha’s stories. With four carry-on and four overweight checked bags, we flew out of Los Angeles (LAX) to Haneda (HND) and eventually landed in Hiroshima (HIJ) the next day.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first couple of days were spent running errands, picking up a few things that we needed and spending time with our families. Both of us have relatives in Hiroshima. My grandparent’s on my father’s side are from Hiroshima and Matsui-san’s parents are from Hiroshima.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On Saturday, we interviewed five hibakusha at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, four in english and one in nihongo. Since my nihongo is not very good, two of my cousin’s joined us and helped me with the translation and interviews.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On Sunday, we went on location with two hibakusha, Arai-san and Kaneko-san, who took us to where they were on August 6, 1945. This added another dimension to their stories as they described to us in detail about their experience. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRejFSaskJUrpl_LtVxBHv6a_AGwAxp7lyLq7_Mp_ylSOGhBBUDjivlKCNnpis4qA0flpX4NgBzkoZfBwbd07mLv9MiTyaxSX6S1MW9yZGGIAfnEQaN9mAR611lRIqldnz-dWG6_sj2Y/s1600/Arai_6347blg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRejFSaskJUrpl_LtVxBHv6a_AGwAxp7lyLq7_Mp_ylSOGhBBUDjivlKCNnpis4qA0flpX4NgBzkoZfBwbd07mLv9MiTyaxSX6S1MW9yZGGIAfnEQaN9mAR611lRIqldnz-dWG6_sj2Y/s320/Arai_6347blg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">With its high-rise office buildings and apartment complexes, the city of Hiroshima is so well developed now that it is hard to imagine the devastation. After the bombing, people thought that nothing could live there for at least 75 years, but 66 years later, the city is alive and thriving with over 1.1 million people.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After two days of shooting in Hiroshima, we headed to Nagasaki where we were greeted with wind, rain and humidity. Over the next three days, we interviewed five more hibakusha, all in nihongo. My friend Oshima-san (and Jeff-san) joined us in Nagasaki to help with translation. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We thought that after conducting five interviews in one day in Hiroshima, Nagasaki would be a breeze with five interviews spread out over three days. Well, this was not quite the case. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, we had to change our interview room every day. This was no easy task considering the set-up we had. But we managed to do it. And each time, we got better and faster, so it was good practice, even if it was a little chaotic at times.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, we interviewed 11 hibakusha – six in Hiroshima and five in Nagasaki – but there are many more stories to be documented. I have over 100 hibakusha who have all agreed to be interviewed for in places as far away as Seoul, South Korea and Sao Paulo, Brazil.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So the journey has begun. The journey of a lifetime.<o:p></o:p></div><br />darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-68721098345233043552010-09-05T00:59:00.000-07:002010-10-03T15:15:40.853-07:0065th Commemorative Service of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Victims<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqc1tk7JeVKP1Y2trwU-ypAPCvze2zvP4sZL0kvotpfH6_SqeayW3cUE7VaZtoK4zmRA5w1g6tDqyz7BHLSoJex9dwjAYZJUpKc67qoBaKJKW4fEPuIQhOjBr-9Z0XiXWMPpt7JEasBI/s1600/IMG_4349blg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqc1tk7JeVKP1Y2trwU-ypAPCvze2zvP4sZL0kvotpfH6_SqeayW3cUE7VaZtoK4zmRA5w1g6tDqyz7BHLSoJex9dwjAYZJUpKc67qoBaKJKW4fEPuIQhOjBr-9Z0XiXWMPpt7JEasBI/s320/IMG_4349blg.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">On August 1, 2010, I was the guest speaker at the 65<sup>th</sup> Commemorative Service of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Victims at the Los Angeles Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. The event was hosted by the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors (ASA) and even though public speaking isn’t one of my favorite things to do, I was honored that they asked me to speak at their service. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">The following is a transcript of my speech.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">August 01, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">2010年8月1日<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Hello everyone and thank you for coming today to remember those who lost their lives to the atomic bombings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">皆様、本日は原子爆弾により亡くなった被爆者の追悼サービスに参加頂きましてありがとうございます。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’d like to thank Mrs. Suyeishi and the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors for inviting me here to speak to all of you. I also want to thank Asahi Sensei and the Koyasan Buddhist Temple for hosting this annual memorial service. It is an honor for me to be here and share with you my experience with the hibakusha and my own thoughts about peace and what we can do to make this world a better place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">広島・長崎原爆被爆者協会のスエイシさんにここにお招き頂きました事を、感謝します。また、この年次のご供養を行ってくださるアサヒ先生とロサンゼルス高野山米国別院にもお礼を申し上げます。私の被爆者との経験について、また平和への思いや、より良い世界を創っていくことについてお話させていただくことを大変光栄に思います。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">About three years ago, I was at a crossroads in life. As a photographer and writer, I was grateful for the opportunities that I had been blessed with. Traveling the world, meeting people and telling stories. As a humanitarian, I volunteered my time to support charitable organizations because I believed in their missions, but I felt like there was more that I could do. I needed a new challenge.</span><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">3年ほど前、私は人生の岐路に立っていました。写真家、作家として世界中を駆け回り、多くの人に会い、ストーリーを伝える数々の機会に恵まれたことをありがたく思っていました。また自分の信じる慈善団体でのボランティア活動を通して人道的支援をしていましたが、他にもできることがあるのではないかと思っていました。新しいチャレンジを求めていたのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="tab-stops: 108.8pt;"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="tab-stops: 108.8pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">So I started searching for a personal project that would combine my two passions in life – being creative and helping others. It took over a year for me to finally figure out my purpose in life, but it finally became clear that I needed to document the stories of atomic bomb survivors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">そこで、私が情熱を持つ2つのことを合わせたプロジェクトを探し始めました。想像力を使うことと、人助けをすることです。1年以上かかってやっと自分の人生の目的を見つけることができ、それは被爆者のストーリーの記録をすることだ、と分かったのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">It is the perfect project for me. As a third generation Japanese American, I feel it is my duty to document the hibakusha’s stories. As an American citizen, my country is responsible for the bombing and since my grandfather emigrated from Hiroshima, my ancestors in Japan were directly affected. I know at least seven were killed. One died just this past year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">これは私にとって最高のプロジェクトです。日系3世として私には被爆者のストーリーを記録する義務があると思います。アメリカ人である私の国は原爆投下の責任を負っています。また祖父は広島出身ですので、私の祖先は直接影響を受けたのです。少なくとも7人が亡くなりました。去年も1人亡くなりました。<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="tab-stops: 220.8pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">So 22 months ago, I started on this journey – a journey that had no clear destination, nor signs to show me which way to go. Each person that I meet holds a key that opens the gate to a new horizon. I now know that this journey has no end. For me, it is a journey of a lifetime that I hope others will continue on once my road has come to an end. We can not forget what happened 65 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">私は22ヶ月前にこの旅を始めました。特に終点も無く、どっちに行くべきかの標識も無い旅です。色々な人に会う度に、新しい視野が見えるドアが開きます。この旅には終点はありません。私の人生の旅であって、私の道が終わるときには誰かが歩み続けてくれることを願っています。65年前に起きた事を忘れてはならないのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">On August 6 and August 9, 1945, the United States awakened the world with nuclear weapons that proved capable of unimaginable destruction on a massive scale. With just two atomic bombs, they annihilated two entire cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is estimated that 100,000 people were killed instantly and 250,000 by year’s end. Countless more lives were devastated. Men. Women. Children. Innocent lives who were only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">1945年8月6日と9日に、アメリカは想像もつかないほどの破壊力を持った原子爆弾を使い、世界を呼び起こしました。たった2発の原爆は広島と長崎を壊滅させました。10万人もの人が一瞬のうちに亡くなり、その年の終わりまでに25万人が亡くなったと言われています。数え切れないほどの男性、女性と子供が打撃を受けました。彼らの犯した罪は、悪いタイミングで悪い場所に居合わせてしまったというだけです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Today, we honor those who died and offer our support to those who survived. For those who have passed, there is solace in knowing that they are at peace. For the hibakusha who are still with us, we offer our support for they have suffered far too much.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">今日は、亡くなった方々を称え、また生存者を応援する日です。安らかに眠る被爆者の霊を慰め、苦しんできた生存者に応援の言葉を贈ります。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">We can not possibly imagine the ugliness they have seen, the pain they have felt nor the suffering they have endured.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">被爆者が見てきた惨さや、感じた痛みと苦しみは想像もできません。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Can you imagine reaching out to help someone and grabbing their hand, only to have it slip away leaving their liquefied skin in your hand?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">助けの手を差し伸べたらその人が滑り落ちてしまい、その人の皮だけが手に残ったなんて、考えられますか?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Can you imagine being 18 years old and responsible for stacking wood and burning dead bodies because all the crematoriums had been destroyed?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">火葬場が破壊されたため、18歳という若さで薪を積み上げて死体を焼かなければいけなかったなんて、想像できますか?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Can you imagine seeing a river full of dead bodies floating by? For many survivors, this was their reality. This was their living hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">死体が溢れている川なんて、想像できますか?被爆者にとってはこれが現実だったのです。まさに生き地獄です。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">For Mikiso Iwasa, who was 16 years old and 1.2 kilometers from the hypocenter, his story was very personal. In his own words, he wrote, “I found my mother trapped under the collapsed house and I tried to pull her out from there, but it was impossible for a young boy [that] I was. So I fled the fire, turning my back to my mother who was saying prayers sensing that she was going to die. Yes, I let her die. She was burnt alive, caught in the fire.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">16歳のとき爆心地から1.2kmで被爆したイワサ・ミキソさんは、とても個人的な話をしてくれました。「倒れた家の下敷きになった母を見つけたのですが、若い子供だった私は母を引っ張り出すことができなかった。死が近いと感じ、念仏をとなえていたた母に背中を向け、火に覆われた家から逃れました。私は母を死なせてしまった。母は焼き殺されたのです。」<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">“A couple of days later, I dug out what looked like my mother’s body from the burnt ruins of our house. It was an object greasy with fat, like a mannequin painted with tar and burned. I could not believe that was my mother’s body. She was killed mercilessly, like an object, not like a human being. The deaths of A-bomb victims in Hiroshima and Nagasaki could not possibly be considered as ‘human deaths’”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">「数日後に焼けた家の下から母の死体らしきものを掘り出しました。脂肪で脂ぎって、タールを塗って焼いたマネキンのようでした。これが母の体だとは信じられませんでした。人間ではない物のように、残酷に殺されたのです。広島、長崎の被爆者の死に方は人間的なものではありませんでした。」<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Despite many experiences like Mr. Iwasa’s, the hibakusha do not carry any hatred or anger. Instead, they carry sadness and guilt for the loved ones they have lost. But more importantly they carry with them hope – a hope for peace. A hope that someday there will be no more nuclear weapons. A hope that their living hell is never repeated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">被爆者はイワサさんのような経験を持っていても、怒りや憎しみを持ってはいません。代わりに愛する人たちの死に責任を感じ、悲しんでいます。また、平和への願いを持っています。核兵器がいつかは無くなるだろうという願い。生き地獄は2度と繰り返されないようにという希望。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Right now, I’d like to take a moment to applaud them for their bravery and their courage. For their gambatte spirit to endure so much yet never complain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">ここで、沢山の苦しみに文句も言わずに耐えてきた被爆者の持っている計り知れないほどの勇気を、拍手をもって称えたいと思います。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately, the hibakusha will not be with us forever to tell their stories, so today, I hope to encourage the next generation of socially responsible citizens who seek peace for the world we live in. People who will carry on the hibakusha’s hope for peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">残念ながら、被爆者は永遠に被爆証言をすることができません。そこで、次世代の社会的責任のある、平和を求める市民の皆さんに立ち上がって欲しいのです。彼らに被爆者の平和への願いを伝え続けて欲しいのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">We must relieve them of this heavy burden that they have carried for far too many years. We can not forget the pain and suffering they have endured. We can not forget the devastation nuclear weapons have had on their lives. We can not fail the hibakusha.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">被爆者が何年も抱えてきた重荷を軽減してあげなければいけません。彼らが耐えてきた痛みと苦しみ、原爆がもたらした破壊を忘れてはなりません。被爆者の願いをかなえなくてはいけません。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">It has been 65 years since the US dropped the atomic bombs and still, to this day, a US president has never attended the Peace Ceremony in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. I personally find that unacceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">アメリカによる原爆投下から65年が経ちますが、いまだに広島や長崎の平和祈念式典に出席された米国大統領はいません。私には理解できません。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">While the world is hopeful for what President Obama can accomplish, we can not wait for our government to take responsibility. We must carry on the hibakusha’s message. We must inherit their gambatte spirit and never give up. We must be like bamboo, strong yet flexible. Bending, but never breaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">世界は希望を持ってオバマ大統領の取り組みを見守っていますが、政府が責任を取るのを待つことはできません。被爆者のメッセージを伝えていかなければいけません。彼らの頑張り精神を受け継いで、やり通すのです。私たちは竹のようなものです。強いながらも柔軟性があり、曲がるけれども折れません。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">We, the United States of America, brought the world in to the age of nuclear warfare and it is our responsibility to lead the way out. We can not expect others to disarm their nuclear weapons if we do not disarm our own. We must lead by example, not by rhetoric.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">世界に核戦争時代をもたらしたアメリカは、この時代を終わらせる義務もあるのです。我々が核兵器を放棄しなければ、他の国も放棄するはずがありません。口だけではなく、行動で示さなければいけません。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">And while a world without nuclear weapons would be a great accomplishment, we can not stop there. Peace will not prevail when there are no more wars. Peace will not prevail when there are no more nuclear weapons.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">核兵器の無い世界が達成できたら素晴らしいことですが、そこでやめることはできません。戦争がなく、核兵器が無ければ、平和が簡単に訪れるわけではないのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Peace will only prevail once we learn to be tolerant of other people’s beliefs. Peace will only prevail when we embrace each other’s differences. Peace is something we must find within ourselves before we ask it of others. Peace begins with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">お互いの考え方を認められるようになって、違いを尊重し合えるようになって初めて平和は訪れるのです。平和とは人に求める前に自分の中で探さなければいけません。私たちから平和は始まるのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">We possess the ability to bring about change and we must work together individually and collectively to make this world a better place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">私たちは変化をもたらす力をもっています。一人一人、またみんなで一緒に取り組んで、より良い世界を作っていくのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">So my challenge to you is this, what can you do? What can you do to make this world a better place?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">では、皆さんは何ができるでしょうか?より良い世界を築くために、あなたには何ができるでしょうか?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">It doesn’t have to be about peace. It can be world hunger or global warming or my little sister wants to go to camp. It doesn’t matter what you do, big or small, just find something you are passionate about and do something.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">平和に関してのことでなくても良いのです。世界飢餓や地球温暖化、また妹をキャンプに送ることでもよいのです。小さいことでも良いから、夢中になれることを探して何かをすれば良いのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t underestimate the power of people. Friends, family, even strangers. If they see that you are passionate about something and share your beliefs, they will support you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">友達でも家族でも他人でも、人の力を軽く見るべきではありません。あなたが情熱を持っていることについて話せば、誰でも支援してくれるでしょう。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learn from them and move forward. You don’t fail because you make mistakes. You only fail because you quit.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">間違いを恐れてはいけません。そこから学んで前進するのです。失敗は間違いから起こるのではなく、やめてしまうと失敗に繋がるのです。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">And most importantly, don’t underestimate your own ability to bring about change. You have your own unique set of gifts. Discover them. Use them. If I can do it, so can you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">大事なことは、あなた自身が持つ、変化をもたらす力を軽く見ないことです。あなたはユニークな才能を持っています。探し出して利用するのです。私ができればあなたもできます。<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Find your passion. Find your gifts. And let’s make this world a better place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-family: 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W6';">情熱を持てるものを探し、才能を見出して、より良い世界を作り出しましょう。</span><span style="font-family: 'MS 明朝';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-20120927677034987752010-06-07T02:38:00.000-07:002010-06-07T02:49:39.078-07:00Back to Japan...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQFZJXunaXjOdDJ0YIOFl6I7WfVBzP93IqdUlmGNm4fmNmm9mTWEMPj8Sf8HVxHqyhqkV6C6jiyXduz4Zt65Qo9npMheqREPJFE7fInadv5nFJZfAaQlk1gRX-ZwCbWVyO8yagBVxFtg/s320/GenbakuDome_2355web.jpg" /></div><br />
It’s been awhile since my last post. I took a few months off in order to deal with the loss of my mother and take care of family matters. Life is different now, but I am still committed to documenting the stories of the hibakusha. <br />
前回のブログ更新からかなり経ってしまいました。数ヶ月休暇をとり、亡くなった母や家族関係の整理をしていました。生活は変わってしまいましたが、ヒバクシャのストーリーを記録することに関する私のコミットメントに変わりはありません。<br />
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In order to get refocused, I traveled to Japan and South Korea to meet with more hibakusha and do more research. Did you know there are 2,696 hibakusha living in South Korea? Now you do. And soon, you will hear some of their remarkable stories.<br />
フォーカスを当て直すために日本と韓国のヒバクシャに会いに行き、リサーチをしてきました。2,696人ものヒバクシャが韓国にいるのはご存知でしたか?注目されるべき彼らのストーリーを間もなく紹介する予定です。<br />
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Most everything is in place now. I just have to do some final tests and I will begin documenting the hibakusha’s stories next month.<br />
プロジェクトの準備は整ってきました。いくつかの最終テストが終わり次第、来月にもヒバクシャのストーリーの記録を始めます。<br />
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Meanwhile…The United Nations Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is currently under way in New York City. <br />
<a href="http://www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/">http://www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/</a><br />
ニューヨークでは核不拡散条約(NPT)再検討会議が行われています。<br />
<a href="http://www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/">http://www.un.org/en/conf/npt/2010/</a> (英語)<br />
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As stated on the UN’s website, “The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.” <br />
上記国連のホームページにも記載のとおり、「NPTは核兵器やその関連物資・技術がこれ以上世界に広がらないため、そして締約国が原子力を平和的に利用する協力関係を促進し、核軍縮・完全軍縮を広める画期的な国際条約」です。<br />
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Every five years, representatives from nations around the globe come to the conference to discuss current nuclear issues and review the treaty to make it stronger and better in an effort to make this world a better and safer place to live. The conference runs through May 28.<br />
核に関する話し合いや条約の見直しを行い、世界をより安全にするために力強い条約を作り出そうと、5年ごとに世界中の国からの代表者が検討会議に参加します。検討会議は5月28日まで行われます。<br />
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A number of my colleagues attended the first week of the conference and I hope to have more information and links to their experience. One of the speakers was Sumiteru Taniguchi, who I met with while I was in Nagasaki last April. He was 16 years old when the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki. He talked about his experience as a survivor.<br />
<a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100509a2.html">http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100509a2.html</a> (english)<br />
私の同僚の多くが会議の1週目に参加しましたし、彼らからの情報もここで紹介していきたいと思っています。私が去年4月に長崎でお会いした谷口稜曄さんもヒバクシャを代表して会議で証言をされました。彼は原爆が投下されたとき16歳でした。<br />
<a href="http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0508/OSK201005080038.html">http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0508/OSK201005080038.html</a> (日本語)<br />
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I probably should have been in New York City as well, however, I was in Hawai’i to speak about “Project Hibakusha : Hope for Peace” on the radio show “Talking Out Loud” with University of Hawai’i Professor Christine Yano. You can listen to the show online here.<br />
<a href="http://www.kzoohawaii.com/jp/programs/tol_soud_2010_0503.html">http://www.kzoohawaii.com/jp/programs/tol_soud_2010_0503.html</a> (english)<br />
私も是非ニューヨークに行きたかったのですが、ちょうどハワイで「プロジェクト・ヒバクシャ:平和への願い」について広報活動をしていました。ハワイ大学のクリスティーン・ヤノ教授と一緒に“Talking Out Loud”というラジオ番組に出演した様子をこちらでお聞きください。<br />
<a href="http://www.kzoohawaii.com/jp/programs/tol_soud_2010_0503.html">http://www.kzoohawaii.com/jp/programs/tol_soud_2010_0503.html</a> (英語)<br />
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I promise not to wait another four months to update this blog. You can also ‘subscribe’ or become a ‘follower’ of this blog by clicking on the links to the right. You’ll be notified by email every time I update it. Thank you for your support!<br />
次回の更新は4ヶ月もかからないことをお約束します。また右の‘subscribe’や‘become a follower’リンクをクリックするとブログの購読をすることができますし、フォロワーになることもでき、ブログが更新されるたびにメールが送信されます。皆様、応援していただきありがとうございます!darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-58327073816890067452010-01-12T01:42:00.000-08:002010-01-12T23:14:28.131-08:00Happy New Year<div class="MsoNormal">Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This year will mark the 65<sup>th</sup> year since the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and we are moving forward to document the stories of the hibakusha.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">皆様、新年明けましておめでとうございます。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">今年は広島・長崎への原子爆弾投下</span>65<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">周年であり、ヒバクシャ証言の記録を進めていきます。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My good friend Jana Katsuyama did a story on atomic bomb survivors that aired December 23, 2009 on KTVU Oakland. She interviewed 2 survivors, Jack Dairiki and Masako Kawasaki, a second generation survivor, Deborah Yamasaki, Dr. Jitsuro Yanagida from Japan and me. <span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">私の友達のジェーン・カツヤマさんがヒバクシャについてのストーリーを製作し、2009年12月23日にオークランドのKTVUで放送されました。ジャック・ダイリキさんとマサコ・カワサキさん2人のヒバクシャと、ヒバクシャ2世のデボラ・ヤマサキさん、また日本からいらした柳田実郎医師と私へのインタビューをもとに製作したものです。</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can view the video clip <a href="http://www.ktvu.com/video/22051665/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">放送された録画ビデオを<a href="http://www.ktvu.com/video/22051665/index.html" target="_blank">こちら</a>でご覧ください。<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m hoping that this is a permanent link, but if for some reason the link does not work, please let me know and I will try and update it. I am also trying to get permission to post the video on this blog.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">このリンクはすぐ切れてしまわないと良いのですが、もし切れているようでしたらお知らせいただければ更新します。このブログにビデオを載せる許可も申請中です。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">On a sadder note,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsutomu_Yamaguchi" target="_blank">Tsutomu Yamaguchi</a> lost his battle with stomach cancer and passed away on January 4, 2010 at the age of 93. Yamaguchi has the unfortunate distinction of being the only certified survivor of both atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">悲しいニュースですが,<a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/山口彊" target="_blank">山口彊氏</a>が2010年1月4日に胃がんで亡くなりました。93歳でした。山口氏は広島と長崎での二重被爆者という不運な名誉の認定を得た唯一の人でした。<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">As an engineer for Mitsubishi, Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima for business when the first atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. Despite his wounds, he returned to his hometown of Nagasaki the next day and went back to work on August 9 when the second bomb was dropped.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">山口氏は長崎三菱造船のエンジニアで、</span>1945<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">年</span>8<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">月</span>6<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">日に一発目が投下されたときは広島に出張していました。けがを負いましたがあくる日には長崎に戻り二発目が投下された</span>8<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">月</span>9<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">日には出社していました。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was looking forward to interviewing Yamaguchi for this project, but unfortunately, I will not have the opportunity to document his story. I’m sure it is documented somewhere and I hope that someday, I will get to learn about his experience.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">私のプロジェクトのために山口氏にインタビューするのを心待ちにしていたのですが、残念ながら彼の証言を記録することはできません。でもどこかに彼の証言が記されていて、彼の経験について学ぶことができることを願っています。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can read more about Yamaguchi <a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100107a6.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';"><a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100107a6.html" target="_blank">ここ</a>でも山口氏について読むことができます(英語版)。</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is also being reported that director James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar) recently visited Yamaguchi in December to discuss a film on nuclear weapons based on the book “The Last Train to Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back” written by Charles Pellegrino.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">また、映画監督のジェームズ・キャメロン(タイタニック、アバター)が</span>12<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">月に山口氏を訪問して、原爆をテーマにしたチャールズ・ペレグリーノによる本「</span>The Last Train from Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">」の映画化について対話をしたと報道されています。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">It will be interesting to see if and how Cameron depicts the fateful events of 1945. Will it be in 3D like his latest box office blockbuster Avatar? We can only hope that it is done with respect to the survivors and brings attention to their hope for peace.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1945<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">年のあの運命的な出来事をどのように描写するのかが興味深いところです。最新の大ヒット作、アバターのように</span>3D<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">立体映画になるのでしょうか?ヒバクシャを十分尊重し、彼らの平和への願いに関心を呼び起こす作品であると祈るばかりです。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Let’s hope that 2010 will bring a lot of changes towards a peaceful world.<o:p></o:p><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2010<span lang="JA" style="font-family: 'MS PGothic';">年が平和な世界に向けて大きな変化をもたらす年であることを期待しましょう。</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-26604481175990394092009-10-07T00:50:00.000-07:002009-10-07T02:03:56.647-07:00Hibakusha Exams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Every two years, a team of doctors and scientists travel to the United States to meet and examine hibakusha as part of the ongoing medical care the Japanese government has taken on to treat the survivors. Originally, they were supposed to come in May and June, but due to outbreak of the H1N1 virus, they postponed their visit until September and October.<br />
日本政府が原爆被爆者に医療を提供している一環として、1年おきに日本から医師団と科学者が健康診断のために渡米しています。当初は5月から6月にかけての予定でしたが、H1N1ウイルスの流行により9月から10月にかけてまで延期されました。<br />
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</div>I have spent the past two weekends at the bi-annual hibakusha exams in Torrance and Honolulu meeting hibakusha and telling them about Project Hbakusha : Hope for Peace. Most of them are happy to hear about the project, but still do not want to talk about their experience, at least not publicly.<br />
私はこの2週末、ロサンゼルス郊外のトーレンスとホノルルで行われた被爆者健康診断を訪れ、「プロジェクト・ヒバクシャ:平和への願い」についてを被爆者に紹介させていただきました。お話できた方のほとんどはプロジェクトのことを喜んで聞いてくれましたが、彼らの被爆経験については、少なくとも公の場では語りたがりませんでした。<br />
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One gentleman talked freely about one of the grim tasks he had to do. Because he was young and strong, one of his jobs was to stack wood and cremate the dead because the mortuaries had been destroyed. He said he lost count of the number of bodies he had to burn. Unfortunately, he is unwilling to go on camera to tell his story. Hopefully when I see him in two years, he will have a change of heart. Perhaps he will agree to do it anonymously.<br />
しかし1人の男性が、厳しい作業について語ってくれました。彼は若く逞しかったために、破壊された葬儀場に変わって材木を重ねて死体を火葬するという役割があったのです。何体焼いたか、数え切れなかったほどだと。残念なことに彼はカメラの前での証言はしたくないとのことですが、2年後にまた会う時は気を変えてくれるかもしれません。匿名だったら話してくれるかもしれません。<br />
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Hibakusha have not only suffered from the loss of loved ones and physical ailments, but they have also suffered from the negative stigma that has been attached to being a hibakusha. <br />
被爆者は愛する人たちを失い、病気に苦しめられてきたばかりでなく、被爆者であるがために汚名を着せられてきました。<br />
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64 years ago, no one knew what really happened. No one knew what an atomic bomb was. No one knew what would happen from their exposure to the radiation. There were many mysterious illnesses and deaths that resulted from the bombing. Red spots appearing on their skin. Hair falling out. <br />
64年前、実際に何が起こったのかは誰も分かりませんでした。原子爆弾とは何なのか、放射線を浴びるとどうなるのか、誰も知りませんでした。原爆のせいで多くの人が不思議な病気にかかり、亡くなっていきました。皮膚に赤い斑点ができたり、髪の毛が抜けてしまったり。<br />
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Because of all the unknown mysteries surrounding the bombings, they were looked upon as ‘contaminated’ or ‘damaged goods’. Discriminated against by their own people, many chose not to disclose they were hibakusha. Many retain their silence to this day except amongst themselves where they can find some solace of sharing a common, horrific experience.<br />
このような原爆投下に関する未知のミステリーのために、彼らは「汚染されている」、「きずもの」などとみなされました。自国の国民から差別を受けた彼らの多くは被爆者であることを隠し、被爆者同士で共通の苦しみを語り合って慰められる時以外は、今日でも口を閉じている方が沢山います。<br />
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Some say they are too shy and don’t want to go on camera. Others say they don’t remember much. While others say it is still too painful. Unfortunately, there are many stories that will never be heard.<br />
多くの方は恥ずかしがって、カメラの前に立ちたがりません。覚えていないと言われる方もいます。今でもあまりにもつら過ぎると言う人も。残念ながら、聞かれることのないストーリーが沢山あるのです。<br />
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But there are a few brave survivors who are willing to talk about their experiences and these are the stories that I will be documenting. Their stories are important because if they don’t tell them, then people will never know what really happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I know I have only heard snippets of what they experienced, but the more I hear, the more I feel these stories need to be recorded for future generations to fully understand the pain and suffering that nuclear war has on people’s lives.<br />
しかし、恐れずに過去の経験を語ってくれると言う被爆者も数人おり、私は彼らのストーリーを記録します。彼らの証言は重要です。もし語ってくれなかったら、広島と長崎で実際に何が起こったのかを伝えることはできません。彼らの経験のうちほんの少ししか聞いていませんが、核戦争がどのような痛みと苦しみを人々に及ぼしたのかを未来の世代に理解してもらうためには彼らのストーリーを記録して残さなければいけないと、話を聞くたびに思うのです。<br />
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The next two weekends, I will be attending the exams in Seattle and San Francisco talking to more hibakusha and learning more about their experiences. There will no doubt be more heartbreaking stories, but at the same time, I feel the hibakusha themselves are a story of triumph. Triumph over tragedy. <br />
今週末と来週末は、シアトルとサンフランシスコで行われる健診に参加して被爆者の話を聞いてきます。心が痛むような話ばかりだとは思いますが、被爆者の方々は勝利のストーリーそのものだと思います。悲劇に打ち勝ったのです。<br />
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They have endured so much pain and suffering and have overcome many challenges. Challenges that I can not imagine. Many have families and have proven that they are not ‘damaged goods’. Some came with their sons and daughters, who are also being cared for by the Japanese government. They are leading fulfilling lives despite their tragic past.<br />
彼らはとてつもない痛みと苦しみに耐えてきて、多くの難問を克服してきました。私には想像もできない難問を。多くの被爆者は家族を築き、「きずもの」ではないことを証明しました。やはり日本政府から医療を受けている娘や息子と一緒に来る方もいました。悲劇的な過去をかかえながらも、充実した生活をしているのです。<br />
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So I continue on this journey to tell their stories. I no longer consider this as ‘my’ project. This is ‘their’ project. I am merely the messenger passing on their stories for others to hear.<br />
ですから私は彼らのストーリーを伝える旅を続けます。これは「私の」プロジェクトではなく、「彼らの」プロジェクトなのです。私は、彼らのストーリーを他の人に伝えるメッセンジャーでしかないのです。darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-23154002154393843492009-09-03T22:00:00.000-07:002009-09-06T01:02:55.935-07:002009 World Conference Against A & H Bombs原水爆禁止2009年世界大会<br /><br />It has been almost a month since the World Conference Against A and H Bombs ended in Nagasaki and I am still awestruck, inspired and grateful all at the same time. I have yet to fully grasp the significance of the stories I heard, the people I met and the friendships that I have made, but it was definitely a great experience.<br />長崎での原水爆禁止2009年世界大会に出席してからもう1ヶ月ほど経ちますが、未だに畏敬、感激と感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。聞いたお話、会った人達、築いた友情の意義がまだ完全に掴めていませんが、素晴らしい経験だったことは確かです。<br /><br />I am awestruck by the many efforts being undertaken around the world to work toward world peace. I am inspired by the many young people who came out to the conference from all parts of Japan who are passionate for world peace. And I am grateful for the many people who have been so helpful and supportive of my own efforts to promote world peace by telling the hibakusha’s stories.<br />世界平和のために世界中で沢山の努力が積まれていることに畏敬の念を抱きました。日本中から会議のためにやってきた、世界平和に向けて情熱的に取り組んでいる若者たちを見て感激しました。そして、ヒバクシャの話を伝えることによって世界平和を広めようとしている私自身の取り組みを寛大に支援してくださる人たちに感謝しています。<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1A-OjihNUpThi2NWDg1MVcs9lFTDwCBrb9kOInVvct-b5Q33Ackb-zWuNobw_nMOLE14FSLTTt8D-PZqoVGonPIwLNHGocYdbkyldg7FELWkKyFNd7YS1NPIHw0Fpz-Whxoj7hDhckw/s1600-h/wcaahb_5550blg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1A-OjihNUpThi2NWDg1MVcs9lFTDwCBrb9kOInVvct-b5Q33Ackb-zWuNobw_nMOLE14FSLTTt8D-PZqoVGonPIwLNHGocYdbkyldg7FELWkKyFNd7YS1NPIHw0Fpz-Whxoj7hDhckw/s400/wcaahb_5550blg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377473665463771890" /></a>There is a group of high school students from the Aichi prefecture who are also documenting hibakusha stories. There were the Citizens Peace Marchers, which included a 50+ year old Japanese man, who walked from Tokyo to Hiroshima (over 600 miles) to promote world peace. <br />愛知県から来た、やはりヒバクシャのストーリーを記録している高校生達がいました。世界平和促進のために東京から広島まで歩き通した、50歳以上の方も含む、国民平和大行進の参加者もいました。<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2_B-9Xacbf-_AvEyU3EmZOLKKHBcoIT7Hh4hy38_nMzWUl4zs47LFTNtvym7mXZ3JFCKFXVMBs3pDG8T3Uk3bFKMOAgw8RGpYn08FOXrZ8jkXGXvL-8mgGTdQ__VV_LgMeAx42XJJPs/s1600-h/wcaahb_5354blg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2_B-9Xacbf-_AvEyU3EmZOLKKHBcoIT7Hh4hy38_nMzWUl4zs47LFTNtvym7mXZ3JFCKFXVMBs3pDG8T3Uk3bFKMOAgw8RGpYn08FOXrZ8jkXGXvL-8mgGTdQ__VV_LgMeAx42XJJPs/s400/wcaahb_5354blg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377473671856076562" /></a><br />I have to thank the staff and volunteers of Gensuikyo for all of their assistance and making me feel like a rock star. I honestly thought I would be attending this conference as a regular attendee sitting in the nosebleed seats listening to speaker after speaker in a language I was only vaguely familiar with.<br />私をロックスターのように大歓迎・支援してくださった日本原水協のスタッフやボランティアの皆さんに感謝しています。実を言うと、一般客として後ろのほうの席に座らされ、よくわからない言語のスピーチを長々と聞かなければいけないのだろうと思っていました…<br /><br />But in true Japanese fashion, I was considered an “overseas delegate” and treated to the same VIP status as the guest speakers and dignitaries. I got one of those little earpieces where a little voice inside translated everything into English. Technology is great! I had reserved seating wherever I went and was introduced on stage along with all the other overseas delegates. Some students even wanted to take a picture with me and another delegate. This was all quite strange to me, yet quite refreshing to see young people with aspirations for world peace.<br />ところが、「海外代表者」として、特別講演者や高官と同様の、素晴らしく日本的なVIP扱いを受けました。全てのスピーチを英語に通訳してくれる小さいイアーフォンまで頂きました。テクノロジーはスゴイ!どこに行っても私用の予約席があり、他の海外代表者と共にステージで紹介されました。私や他の代表者と一緒に写真を撮りたい、という学生までいました。こんな経験は初めてで奇妙な気分でしたが、世界平和に対して熱望を持って取り組んでいる若者たちに元気付けられました。<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDroMtX7ve48KMfFipW86MdtBAk4pnzO9KhQQAeEISBLn5LImx09JK6pqaJt5zvCwc17rGzarNaPn9cMSIksJo0hEWWgK-52MrBGxKn-Q5xA0QcLzjIkZcCAv5yjisWLVTG-ZGsCDWfTw/s1600-h/wcaahb_5583blg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDroMtX7ve48KMfFipW86MdtBAk4pnzO9KhQQAeEISBLn5LImx09JK6pqaJt5zvCwc17rGzarNaPn9cMSIksJo0hEWWgK-52MrBGxKn-Q5xA0QcLzjIkZcCAv5yjisWLVTG-ZGsCDWfTw/s400/wcaahb_5583blg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377473660904446754" /></a>After meeting so many like-minded people, my overall feeling is one of hope. Hope that we can bring peace to the world we live in. Hope that future generations will not forget the horrific effects a nuclear weapon can have on a person’s life. Hope that more people will join together to promote world peace.<br />同じ目的を持った沢山の人たちに出会えて、希望に満ちた気分です。我々の住む世界に平和をもたらすことができるという希望。核兵器が人生にもたらす恐ろしい影響を未来の世代は忘れないという希望。より多くの人たちが世界平和のために力を合わせるようになるという希望。<br /><br />I was only there for 4 days, but it was quite enlightening.<br />たった4日間でしたが、とても気づきの多い時間を過ごしました。darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7896899545019054716.post-19261596730994717872009-08-05T10:32:00.000-07:002009-09-16T22:49:15.906-07:00project overviewProject Hibakusha sets out to document hibakusha around the world and tell their stories. To give a voice to those who have been silent for far too long. And to serve as a reminder of all the pain and devastation that nuclear weapons can deliver.<br />
ヒバクシャに声を与え、彼らのストーリーを記録し、世界中に発信する。核兵器がもたらす苦しみと惨状を思い起こさせる作品を創り上げる。<br />
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Hibakusha is a Japanese term whose literal translation means “explosion-affected people”. While it is widely used to describe those who survived the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, loosely translated, the term also refers to others outside of Japan who have also suffered from the fallout of atomic bomb testing and exposure to radiation.<br />
日本語の「被爆者」を直訳すると、「爆発の被害に遭った人々」という意味になります。広島と長崎に落とされた原爆から生き延びた人々を指す言葉として一般的に用いられる言葉ですが、広い意味では、原爆実験による放射性物質や放射線照射の被害にあった、日本以外の国に住居する人々のことを指す場合もあります。<br />
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Through the power of pictures and their personal accounts, their message will be heard.The ultimate goal is to have an exhibit of the photos and video presentations travel around the world and to publish a book that will be sent to world leaders who possess the power to disarm.<br />
彼らのメッセージは、写真のパワーと個人の証言を通して伝えることができると思います。 究極の目標は、動画のプレゼンテーションも含む写真展示会を世界中で開き、軍縮の権限を持つ各国指導者に贈る本を出版することです。<br />
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The book and exhibit will serve as a reminder to future generations of the horrors that a nuclear war can unleash. Nuclear warheads today are far more powerful and destructive than the two that were dropped on Japan and no one should have to experience the pain and suffering that the hibakusha have had to endure for the past 64 years.<br />
展示会と本は、未来の世代に核兵器の恐ろしさを思い起こさせるものになります。今日の核兵器の破壊力は日本に落とされた2発よりはるかに大きく、ヒバクシャがこの64年間経験してきた痛みや苦しみは、繰り返されてはなりません。<br />
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My short term goal is to photograph and document the stories of 65 hibakusha and have the exhibit open in Hiroshima and/or Los Angeles on August 6, 2010, exactly 65 years after the first bomb was dropped.<br />
私の目下の目標は、65名の被爆者の方々にまつわる写真を撮影し、その体験談を文書として記録すること、そして最初の爆弾が投下された日からちょうど65年目にあたる2010年8月6日に、広島およびロサンゼルスの両方で、もしくはそのいずれかで展示会を開催することです。<br />
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The long term goal is to document every hibakusha who wishes to tell their story and to continue to add to the exhibit. My hope is that the exhibits will continue to travel around the world after the hibakusha and I pass away.<br />
長期目標は、証言をしたいヒバクシャ全員のストーリーを収録し、展示会に加えていくことです。私の死去後も展示会が続くことが私の願いです。darrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07189847194412155941noreply@blogger.com0