November 2015

70 Years since the Atomic Bombing: How to Pass Down Waning Memories

From a Public Opinion Survey on People's Awareness of the Atomic Bombings

Miki Masaki

Seventy years have passed since atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities. In June 2015, NHK carried out a telephone public opinion survey in the two cities as well as nationwide. The author reports and examines the results by conducting a comparative analysis between the residents in victimized cities and nationwide as well as a longitudinal analysis. As to a question on how often they talk about the bombings, those who “rarely” or “not at all” do so have increased over the past five years. In Hiroshima the ratio of those who knew the exact date of Hiroshima bombing was 69%, same as five years ago, but in Nagasaki the ratio of those who knew the exact date of the Nagasaki bombing decreased from five years ago, from 64% to 59%, which shows the memories is gradually fading. Meanwhile, in the nationwide survey much lower percentages—only around 30%—of the respondents knew the exact date of the a-bomb attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. Five years ago, on a question about their feeling on the atomic attacks by the United States, those who answered “I cannot forgive the bombing even now” exceeded those who answered “it was inevitable” in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as nationwide. However, in 2015, those who feel “I cannot forgive the bombing even now” decreased to the same level of “it was inevitable” in the bomb victimized Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities. Regarding nuclear weapons, approximately 80% think “Japan should not own and use nuclear weapons” in the afflicted two cities as well as nationwide. However, the majority of the respondents are pessimistic about the prospects of nuclear disarmament, and around 70% are anticipating the outbreak of a nuclear war. In every area, more than 60% feel the world is not fully informed of the reality of the damage caused by the atomic bombs and of the bomb victims, and, as they age, how to pass down the experience of the bombings to the future generations is becoming an urgent issue to address.

 

The NHK Monthly Report on Broadcast Research