Youth Take Action

The results of an annual student peace awareness survey conducted by the Soka Gakkai Hiroshima Student Division Peace Committee are just out. Some 3,000 students in the Chugoku region, where Hiroshima is located, took part in the survey conducted from May through June 2009.

To the question, “What day was the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?” only 62 percent correctly responded “August 6.” This was the lowest percentage result for this question during the 14 years of this survey.

Survey respondents were limited to students from the Chugoku region, but had the survey been conducted among a broader student demographic, the percentage would have likely been even lower. By the same token, had the survey not been limited to university and vocational school students but opened to youth in the same age range, an even lower percentage would have resulted. We can conclude that memories of that tragic day and WWII are rapidly fading.

When asked, “Do you think that nuclear weapons will be used in armed conflicts in the future?” 87 percent responded “Definitely” or “It is likely.” While it is assumed that North Korea’s nuclear testing in May influenced poll results, this response hints at the uneasiness among the Japanese youth.

On the other hand, the fact that 72 percent responded in the negative when asked “Do you think nuclear weapons are necessary or unnecessary?” despite the growing threat of North Korea gives cause for some hope. Perhaps this result shows that even though fewer students correctly named the anniversary date of the nuclear bomb, education about the nuclear threat has raised social awareness.

The video testimonies by atomic bomb survivors introduced on the People’s Decade website have received favorable reviews. We want to continue strengthening the momentum for nuclear abolition through educating youth by means of various popular media, such as streaming video, blogs and comics.

Name: Nobu
Age: 32
Gender: Male

An article recently added to the News section of this site introduces the results of a Quinnipiac University poll which shows that 61 percent of Americans agree that using nuclear weapons to bring World War II to an end was the right thing to do.

Although I was discouraged at first, I did find some grounds for hope from this research.

In the poll, the question was restricted to whether “dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki” in WWII was the right thing to do. Therefore, the result cannot necessarily be interpreted as meaning 61 percent support the use of nuclear weapons in any war.

Among younger voters from age 18 to 34, the number of respondents supporting the use of nuclear weapons during WWII drops to 50 percent, compared to the 73 percent of older voters aged 55 and over who approved.

The researcher interprets the decline in support among younger respondents as being due to the fact that, unlike the older generation, they have not lived with the fear of WWII and the Cold War.

Reading this, I felt really strongly how important it is to create a world in which future generations will never have to experience these fears.

The other day, an article in one of Japan’s leading newspapers described how an increasing number of Japanese youth are taking action for nuclear abolition because they have realized that the average age of A-bomb survivors is now 75 and they are determined to abolish nuclear weapons while these A-bomb survivors are still alive.

I believe that young people have a responsibility to do something for the cause of nuclear abolition and take the lead in creating a world where all people can truly feel secure. I feel even more determined to work to make this happen.

Name: Nobu
Age: 32
Gender: Male

A few days ago in my newspaper I came across a story about a woman who lives in Hiroshima. Out of a sense of responsibility as a citizen of Hiroshima, she is attempting to teach her sons, aged 6 and 5, about the threat and cruelty of the atomic bomb and the preciousness of life.

Here is a summary of her comments:

I took my sons to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, and said to them as we viewed the exhibition: “As people who live in Hiroshima, we have a mission to pray for peace and appeal for peace.” Despite their shock at the horrific content of the panels, my sons listened to me intently.

Afterwards, I realized that seeing the exhibit had enabled them to grasp the preciousness of life and appreciation for being alive. Every day, I give my kids a big hug and say, “I love you so much!” and at bedtime I sing to them, “Thank you for being born!” A few days ago, my older son gave me a letter which read, “Thank you, mom, for giving birth to me!” My other son made a ring from origami paper and placed it on my finger. They are beginning to understand the preciousness of life and appreciation for living. My heart sang with happiness and tears came to my eyes.

This story made me realize that creating a world free from war is not something far removed but something that starts close at hand, in the heart of each individual and our daily interactions with other people. After reading it, I really understood how just the simple act of saying “I love you” or expressing gratitude can make a huge impact on other people, and that this is the first step to ensuring a world without war.

Name: Emi
Age: 23
Gender: Female