This year, as August 15 once again arrived, I watched on television the Peace Memorial Ceremonies held in Hiroshima on the 6th and in Nagasaki on the 9th.
In Hiroshima, speeches were delivered by Mayor Kazumi Matsui, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki, among others. But what struck me most was the “Pledge for Peace” read aloud by a boy and a girl in the sixth grade. I believe their words resonated deeply with many people.
As the hibakusha—the survivors of the atomic bombings—grow older and gradually pass away, the children’s powerful declaration, “To ensure that the events of that day, the history of Hiroshima, are never repeated, we will carry on the voices of the survivors, weaving together each person’s words to build peace,” gave me reassurance that a new generation is steadily rising to inherit and pass on this tragic history.
Yet we live in an era where politicians can be elected to the Diet even after making careless remarks such as, “Nuclear armament is the cheapest option,” and new parties that harbor such lawmakers are on the rise. Indifference to the past or ignorance of the mechanisms that lead to war may result in consequences that cannot be undone.
Every year in August, media coverage of war increases, and some refer to this phenomenon as “August Journalism.” But among young people, some say, “I’m tired of hearing about war,” or “I don’t want to listen to stories about such dark times.” Even so, at the very least in August, I hope we can face the dark chapters of Japan’s history and reflect deeply on the meaning of peace for humanity.