Atomic Bomb Dome Designated as World Heritage Site
The traces of A-bomb-related devastation have been recognized as witnesses to history that must be faced squarely by humankind. On December 5, 1996, the Atomic Bomb Dome was registered as a World Heritage site. It was World War Ⅱ site to receive this designation following the Auschwitz concentration camp and the first war-related legacy to be registered in Japan. In the deliberation process, China pointed to Japan's responsibility as an aggressor in World War Ⅱ and abstained from voting, while the United States did not support the designation on the ground that war-related items should not be included in the list of World Heritage sites.

NHK Special   HIROSHIMA The Fateful Ten Seconds(1998)

The Intensifying Fear of Nuclear Proliferation
    As the 20th century drew towards a close, the world was embattled by the fear of the regional, ethnic and religious conflicts that followed in the wake of the Cold War. Nuclear weapons had already proliferated to such countries as India, Pakistan and Israel. In East Asia, North Korea had become a major cause for concern.
    An atomic bomb emits 80% of its energy in the first 1.5 seconds after detonation, and 99% within 10 seconds. NHK Special made a fresh attempt to clarify the threat in a program, Hiroshima, The Fateful 10 Seconds, (aired in 1998), making full use of the latest science and simulation technologies.