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MORIZUMI Takashi
He has photographed the nuclear damage from the Semiparatinsk test site in Russia, uranium mining in India, and depleted uranium shells. While involving himself on the issues of disarmament and nuclear weapons, he has witnessed the enormous damage done to nature by radioactivity, and has continued taking photographs of people throughout the world suffering nuclear-related damage.
This is a special cemetery that was built for children, in the city of Basra in southern Iraq, where ground fighting took place during the Gulf War.
The number of graves grows day by day, and there is no longer anywhere to stand.
In the nearby square, chirdren are engrossed in a game of soccer.
(1998,Basra)
Uranium mining began three decades ago in Jadogoda Village, Bihar State. There was no concern at all for the environment, the villagers bathed and washed their clothes in the water that was contaminated by wastewater from the mines and from the slag that was dumped near the dam.
There are high rates of cancer, leukemia, and birth defects among the villagers and the miners.
The Indian government declared the area an offlimit zone, and restricts foreigners from entering.
(2000, Jadogoda)
In 1953,the Soviet Union's first hydrogen bomb test was conducted.At the time,42 men from Kaynar Village were told by the military to remain in the village.On the morning of the test,the men were gathered on a hill behind the village office.They witnessed a huge orange flash,followed by a mushroom cloud. After some time,the village was covered by a black cloud,and"ashes of death"rained down.The men died one after the other,of skin cancer,leukemia,and gastric cancer. Mr.Eleogaze,aged 64,is the only survivor among the 42 men. Today,he suffers from internal diseases and skin cancer.
(1994,Kaynar Village)
"Hibakusha around the World" in Hiroshima
The photo exhibition "Not Only Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Hibakusha around the World" at the former Bank of Japan Hiroshima Branch, an A-bombed building, was visited by approximately 3,500 people from Hiroshima and those who visited Hiroshima during Golden Week during the exhibition period from April 26 to May 8, 2024.
We were impressed by the high level of interest shown by visitors, many of whom eagerly looked at the approximately 130 photos, including those of the special exhibit "Abandoned Hibakusha" (photo by Takashi Ito), while reading the explanations of each photo.
In addition, "Prayer Songs - Songs of the Expanse and the Abyss of the Heart," which was held during the period as a project of the co-sponsor, MIZUNOTE General Foundation, featured wonderful performances and music by artists and the Hiroshima Chorus who participated from various parts of the country, as a requiem for those who died and a prayer for peace. It was a wonderful time to share our thoughts and feelings for peace.
Through this photo exhibition, We realized that even in Hiroshima, where the atomic bomb was dropped, hibakusha around the world are surprisingly little known. We realized that even in peace education, people learn about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but not so much about the Hibakusha around the world, and I felt once again the importance of conveying the message of "Hibakusha around the world".
We would like to take this opportunity to further promote our efforts to make the photos from the World Hibakusha Exhibition come to life.
Thank you all for your continued support.
You can use photos of A-bomb survivors in messages related to Ukraine
We know that the Russian attack on nuclear power plants in Ukraine and nuclear threats are causing many of you to feel an unprecedented sense of urgency.
Although we, too, feel helpless, we have been thinking about what we can do as a non-profit organization, the World Hibakusha Exhibition, and have decided to provide you with a symbolic photographs.
These photographs, titled "Hibakusha: Hatsuko Tominaga" and "Hibakusha: Motoyo Fujiwara," are the work of Ittetsu Morishita, a photographer who took photographs of Hibakusha in Hiroshima and Nagasaki for nearly half a century and died last year. Ittetsu Morishita founded the World Hibakusha Exhibition 20 years ago with the aim of raising public opinion for a nuclear-free world.
The following two photographs are provided.
Photo 1: TOMINAGA Hatsuko
1914-2002/Hiroshima Hibakusha
The white specks in her eyes are atomic cataracts.
A sharp pain runs through her body constantly, causing her to distort her eyebrows.
(1977, Eba, Hiroshima MORISHITA Ittetsu)
Photo 2: FUJIWARA Motoyo
1894-1989/Hiroshima Hibakusha
When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Ms.FUJIWARA, who was helping to evacuate the city, was working near the Fukuya department store, 600 meters from the hypocenter.
Her five-year-old daughter and seventeen-year-old son died one month after the bombing. After that, she was alone and working hard, until becoming ill at the age of 91.
In this photo, you can see scars and burns on her arms and hands; they caused her much pain, especially in winter.
(1977, Hakushima, Hiroshima MORISHITA Ittetsu)
These photos, along with "Stop attacks on nuclear power plants!", "Don't use nuclear weapons!", "Don't threaten with nuclear weapons.", and "Peace in We thought that by having messages such as "Ukraine!" used together, we could contribute to sending a strong message around the world.
These photos are representative of a series of photos of A-bomb survivors that won the Grand Prix for the Peace and Nationality Award in the International Documentary Art Photo Contest "Humanity and Peace" to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the USSR.
I would like to think that it was some kind of mistake to use works that were appreciated by the Russian people on these occasions, but I am sure that many of the Russian people never wanted war either.
We, with all people, would like to overcome the nuclear crisis and see peace return to Ukraine.
If you wish to use them, please download the photos below.
We hope that these photos, which are filled with the thoughts and feelings of the Hibakusha, will be of some help to you.
