September 10, 2024

In the so-called “black rain” lawsuit, the Nagasaki District Court on September 9 issued a ruling recognizing 15 of 44 plaintiffs as “A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha)”.

The court ordered the Nagasaki prefectural and city governments to grant the 15 plaintiffs Hibakusha certificates.

The lawsuit was filed by 44 “Hibaku Taikensha”, those who had experienced the “black rain (radioactive fallout)” in the aftermath of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. They claimed that all “Hibaku Taikensha”, regardless of whether they had been caught in the black rain inside or outside the national government-designated zone (a 12-km radius from the epicenter), should be certified as Hibakusha and covered by the Hibakusha relief measures.

At a rally held after the ruling, the plaintiffs’ group head, Iwanaga Chiyoko, who was deemed ineligible in the court decision, criticized the ruling for causing unnecessary confusion among the plaintiffs. Expressing her renewed determination to continue fighting for as long as she lives, Iwanaga angrily said, “The court should understand that internal exposure to radioactive particulates contained in the black rain can also cause health damage.”

A plaintiff who was not recognized as Hibakusha by the court, Yamauchi Takeshi, said in total disappointment, “In the Hiroshima ‘black rain’ lawsuit, those who had experienced the black rain in an area 40 kilometers from Hiroshima’s epicenter, far beyond the limits of the government-designated zone, were recognized as Hibakusha. In line with this court judgement, all ‘Hibaku Taikensha’ in Nagasaki should also be certified as Hibakusha without being restricted to the 12-km zone to be eligible.”

Lawyer Adachi Shuichi, a member of the plaintiffs’ legal team, severely criticized the court ruling, and said that the district court dutifully followed the central government’s lead.

Past related articles:
> JCP Secretariat Head criticizes Kishida’s refusal to respond to Nagasaki’s call for abolition of nuclear weapons [August 10, 2024]
> Hiroshima court again recognizes 84 radioactive ‘black rain’ victims as atomic bomb sufferers [July 15, 2021]