August 6, 2016
The Hiroshima Prefectural Headquarters of the New Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin) has published an annual collection of records of Hibakusha’s experiences for more than half a century.
The first collection was published in August 1964, nearly two years after the foundation of Shinfujin. The collection’s title “Burned Like Fallen Leaves” was taken from memoirs of Nagoya Misao, a mother who was exposed to radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and who later lost her son to leukemia.
Shinfujin member Yukawa Hiroko, 82, has taken part in the compilation from the first issue. “At that time, it took tremendous courage for A-bomb survivors to come forward to talk about their horrible experiences. Hibakusha who appeared in the first collection under their own names were only a few people, including Nagoya,” said Yukawa.
In 1964, the annual World Conference against A and H Bombs was held in Kyoto and Osaka. At the venues, together with other Shinfujin members, Yukawa enthusiastically sold copies of the collection to participants. All 300 copies they had prepared were sold out.
Yano Miyako, 85, has also been involved in editing the collection for a long time. “At first, we planned a one-time publication. But after releasing the first collection, we received a large number of requests for more volumes from across the country. I didn’t imagine that we would continue the publication for over five decades,” she said.
Yano delivered a speech at the International Meeting of the 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs held in Hiroshima. She expressed her determination to do her utmost in order to promote the signature campaign in support of the appeal of Hibakusha.
Sawada Kayoko, chair of the prefectural Shinfujin, said, “We’ll continue to convey messages from women who value each and every life on earth and call for world peace.
The first collection was published in August 1964, nearly two years after the foundation of Shinfujin. The collection’s title “Burned Like Fallen Leaves” was taken from memoirs of Nagoya Misao, a mother who was exposed to radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and who later lost her son to leukemia.
Shinfujin member Yukawa Hiroko, 82, has taken part in the compilation from the first issue. “At that time, it took tremendous courage for A-bomb survivors to come forward to talk about their horrible experiences. Hibakusha who appeared in the first collection under their own names were only a few people, including Nagoya,” said Yukawa.
In 1964, the annual World Conference against A and H Bombs was held in Kyoto and Osaka. At the venues, together with other Shinfujin members, Yukawa enthusiastically sold copies of the collection to participants. All 300 copies they had prepared were sold out.
Yano Miyako, 85, has also been involved in editing the collection for a long time. “At first, we planned a one-time publication. But after releasing the first collection, we received a large number of requests for more volumes from across the country. I didn’t imagine that we would continue the publication for over five decades,” she said.
Yano delivered a speech at the International Meeting of the 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs held in Hiroshima. She expressed her determination to do her utmost in order to promote the signature campaign in support of the appeal of Hibakusha.
Sawada Kayoko, chair of the prefectural Shinfujin, said, “We’ll continue to convey messages from women who value each and every life on earth and call for world peace.
