| 80 years after the atomic bomb, a leading advocate shares her testimony — from surviving unimaginable horror to speaking at the UN for a world free of nuclear weapons. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb fell on Nagasaki. The bombings forced Japan’s surrender, ending World War II, but at a devastating cost: an estimated 210,000 lives. Michiko Kodama was seven years old and inside a school building on the outskirts of the Hiroshima city, some 4 km from the hypocentre when the bomb exploded. Kodama survived the explosion and its aftermath, becoming one of the last hibakusha – the Japanese term for atomic bomb survivors. Today, the number of hibakusha still alive has fallen below 100,000, with an average age of over 86. In postwar Japan, they held a complex and often painful status in society – feared, stigmatised, and sometimes even blamed. Many were unable to speak openly about what they had endured. Today, Kodama continues to speak out, driven by a sense of responsibility. She is an advocate of peace and of a world without nuclear weapons. She became a leading voice of Nihon Hidankyo, crisscrossing Japan and the world to share her testimony. She has spoken in schools, at international conferences, and at the United Nations. 00:00 Hiroshima at the time 00:28 When the atomic bomb exploded 03:50 Hiroshima in flames 05:39 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 06:17 Burned bodies 06:57 „We must prevent wars“ 08:15 Sharing her testimony with Japan and the World --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel: Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch Channel: http://www.youtube.com/swissinfovideos Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=swissinfovideos |
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