Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor Shigemi Fukahori dies at 93

In Japan, Shigemi Fukahori, a prominent survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing, has passed away at the age of 93. He dedicated his life to advocating for peace following the bombing.

Fukahori died in a hospital, as reported by the Catholic Church in Nagasaki, which he frequently visited for prayer. The Urakami Cathedral, destroyed by the bomb that fell about 500 meters away, became a symbol of resilience after its reconstruction post-World War II.

At the time of the bombing, Fukahori was 14 years old and working at a shipyard; he lost several family members and struggled to speak about his trauma for years. His perspective changed after a conversation in Spain about the 1937 Guernica bombing.

He began sharing his experiences more openly, recounting a poignant memory from the day of the bombing. Fukahori regularly lectured students to promote peace, presented white flowers to the pope in 2019, and represented bomb victims at the 75th-anniversary ceremony in 2020.

He emphasized that Nagasaki should remain the last site of an atomic bombing. The Nagasaki bomb on August 9, 1945, followed another atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima three days earlier.

In total, the bombings resulted in an estimated 215,000 deaths, and Japan’s surrender was announced on August 15.

Source: NOS

Share