Japan Press Weekly

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2021 June 9 - 15 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

JCP demands gov’t support to preserve A-bombed buildings in Hiroshima

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Inoue Satoshi on June 3 at a House of Councilors committee meeting urged the government to implement measures to support the preservation of four buildings of the former Japanese Imperial Army Clothing Depot which survived the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

The four 100-meter-long brick storehouses are located about 2.7 kilometers from the hypocenter. In the aftermath of the atomic bombing, these buildings were used as makeshift aid facilities. While many A-bomb victims were brought in, about 3,000 victims died there. Of the four buildings, three are owned by the Hiroshima Prefectural government and one by the Finance Ministry.

The Hiroshima Prefectural government initially planned to preserve one of the three buildings. However, pushed by public call for conserving the three buildings all together, the prefectural government in May reported to the prefectural assembly on a new policy of conserving and making good use of the three buildings after performing seismic retrofitting. The prefectural authority is also requesting the national government to designate the buildings as an important cultural asset.

At the June 3 Upper House committee meeting, in response to a question about the Finance Ministry-owned building, ministry official Iguchi Hiroyuki said that the ministry will take necessary measures in accordance with discussions between the national government and the Hiroshima prefectural and city governments regarding ways to maintain and utilize the four buildings.

JCP Inoue pointed out that the government of Japan, the only A-bombed nation in the world, has an international responsibility to work to protect the four A-bombed buildings. In response, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu agreed that it is necessary for the government to do everything possible.