The atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki in August 1945, during the Second World War. It was the first
time that such weapons were used against humanity. The atomic bombs ushered
in competition for the development of nuclear weapons, which continue
to threaten the international community to this day.
Ever since 1945, NHK has produced programs about the devastation caused
by the atomic bombings and the importance of peace, in the ardent hope
that such tragedies will never be repeated. These programs are a valuable
asset which is being preserved for future generations in the NHK Archives.
NHK will launch the Peace Archives in 2005, the sixtieth anniversary
of the atomic bombings. This is one of NHK’s major projects to mark
the eightieth anniversary of broadcasting in Japan.
The Peace Archives will be established in the Open Program Library,
a new service started in conjunction with the NHK Archives. It will show
programs related to the atomic bombings to the public.
NHK also plans to provide, free-of-charge, some English-language editions
of these programs to broadcasters around the world.
We look forward to your assistance and cooperation with the Peace Archives.
