hirosima

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14-story building under construction close to Hiroshima A-bomb Dome

Fifty-nine Hiroshima organizations, including A-bomb survivors' groups, on April 18 made representations to the Hiroshima City government demanding that the construction of a building near the Atomic Bomb Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage site, be reviewed in order to preserve the scenery around the A-bombed memorial.

Kusunoki Tadayuki who is active in a movement to preserve the A-bombed ruins, at a press conference said, "The city, the builder, and Hiroshima residents must put their heads together now to find a way out of this."

Fearing that damage to the scenery may cause deregistration of the A-Bomb Dome as a World Heritage, the Hiroshima UNESCO Association on the same day sent a statement of warning to the city government as well as the construction company.

The currently under construction 14-story condominium building, which will be 19 meters higher than the A-Bomb Dome, is located within a buffer zone designated around the world heritage.

It was late last year when A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha) and Hiroshima residents noticed the construction, finding construction screens and crane arms put up 30 meters away from the A-bomb blast center right behind the A-Bomb Dome.

Tsuboi Sunao, chairperson of the Japan Confederation of Atomic and Hydrogen Bomb Sufferers' Organizations (Japan Hidankyo) criticized the construction, saying, "The Dome that Hibakusha are desperately seeking to protect is the only symbol in the world for the abolition of nuclear weapons."

Hiroshima Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi on March 29 expressed his intention to request the builder to reconsider the building construction. The construction company representative said, "It is difficult to change the construction plan because all units have already been sold, but we'll continue negotiating with the city."
- Akahata, April 7 and 20, 2006