Union members hear testimonies of Hibakusha to share among comrade

Jichiroren held a peace gathering on August 8 in Nagasaki City, where an atomic bomb was dropped by the U.S. in 1945, with 57 of its members from around the country and five Hibakusha, the survivors of the bombing. The members heard testimonies directly from the survivors so that they could share with their comrades how catastrophic the bombing was in their respective communities.

Then-Vice President Kuniharu Koyama addressed, “We must never allow such a tragedy to happen again. I want to share this determination with you all here,” introducing a dozen of banners filled with messages. Koyama explained that union members nationwide had relayed the banners to Nagasaki and the other atom-bombed city Hiroshima, while writing on them their hopes for the abolition of nuclear weapons and a world without war.

Three guests from South Korea also attended the gathering. Byun Heeyoung, the vice president of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers’ Union (KPTU), mentioned, “We will strive in international solidarity for a world where everyone is treated equally and can live in peace.”