70 Years of the Hiroshima Federation of A-Bomb Survivors: A Change in Leadership — The Blueprint for the Work of ‘Connecting’

The Hiroshima Prefectural Federation of A-Bomb Survivors has seen a change in leadership. Tomoyuki Minomaki has stepped down due to health reasons, and Hiroshi Harada has taken over — at this time, as we approach the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing.

To call this transition a “generational change” is somewhat misleading. Harada himself is a survivor, having experienced the bombing firsthand in Hiroshima. It is not that a generation has changed, but rather that “the role has shifted among those who experienced it.” What we should question is not the narrative of a beautiful legacy but rather what mechanisms are operating behind the scenes to continue delivering memories. Who is supporting these arrangements? There lies the blueprint for the work of ‘connecting’.

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From “Individual Goodwill” to “Institutional Support” for Testimonies

Since its establishment in 1956, the Hiroshima Prefectural Federation of A-Bomb Survivors has played a role in conveying the voices of survivors to society. However, the nature of its activities has evolved over time. In the past, survivors themselves stood on the streets, collected signatures, and petitioned the National Diet. It was a movement that involved physical presence. What is now required is the creation of a system that separates testimonies from “individual memories” and preserves them in a reproducible form.

Newly appointed Chairman Harada has a background as the director of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Atomic Bomb Museum). It is not coincidental that someone familiar with the management of the museum, a “box” for preserving history, has taken the helm of the federation. A person who understands both the storytellers and the venues for delivering those stories now stands at the nexus.

Former Chairman Minomaki, upon his retirement, left behind words to the effect that “we must create a form in which testimonies remain even after the survivors are gone.” This is not merely a declaration of resolve but a statement of design philosophy. Relying on individual sense of mission for legacy will falter when that person is no longer around. Only systems that operate as mechanisms can withstand the test of time.

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What the Reservation System Changed — Consideration Within ‘Management’

In recent years, the Atomic Bomb Museum has faced the challenge of a sharp increase in visitors. In the fiscal year 2023, the number of visitors reached approximately 1.98 million, setting a new record. The number of overseas visitors has also increased, and this trend has accelerated since the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

In light of this situation, the museum implemented an all-day reservation system during the Obon period in 2024. It had become common for visitors to wait over two hours to enter during peak times, raising concerns for the safety of visitors — especially the elderly and those with children — who were waiting in the scorching sun. The introduction of the reservation system was not merely a congestion mitigation measure; it was a decision made to protect the quality of the experience of facing the exhibits.

The reservation system imposes a cap on the number of visitors per day. While this may appear to be a “restriction” when viewed through the lens of numbers, it also ensures that each individual has time to pause in front of the testimony videos. Should we pursue visitor numbers or protect the experiences of those who visit? This choice reveals the design philosophy regarding the inheritance of memory.

It is noteworthy that the operation of this reservation system is not solely supported by museum staff. The presence of volunteer staff who manage the reservation system, oversee the flow of visitors on the day, and provide multilingual support is essential for the system to function. According to the City of Hiroshima, there are about 300 volunteers involved with the museum, many of whom are retirees, including second-generation survivors. Behind the system, there are human hands at work.

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A Structure Where “Organizers are Alumni”

When discussing the inheritance of memory, it is often said that it must be passed on to the younger generation. However, some of what is happening in Hiroshima exists in a slightly different dimension.

There is an event called “Talking Peace with A-Bomb Survivors,” primarily organized by alumni and current students of Kunitachi High School in Hiroshima. What is noteworthy here is that the students are not only in the role of “listeners” but also act as “creators of the space.” They handle venue arrangements, contact with survivors, and manage the event on the day itself — the survivors are invited as storytellers, separate from the operational burdens.

This structure, upon closer inspection, is a miniature version of what the federation has been doing for years. Those who testify and those who organize the delivery of those testimonies. By dividing roles, the burden on the storytellers is reduced, while simultaneously passing on the experience of “operating the system” to the next generation. Like a nesting doll, the organizational design philosophy is being replicated in small local settings.

The continued involvement of alumni in the events is likely not solely due to “being moved.” Because they have experience in managing the events, they can assist again the following year. It is not emotion but the accumulation of experience that supports continuity. Here too, there is a system in place.

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Connecting with Administration — Systems that Protect Testimonies

The work of the federation does not stop at the inheritance of testimonies. Policy proposals aimed at maintaining and expanding medical and living support systems for survivors are also core functions of the organization.

As of 2024, there are approximately 106,000 holders of the A-Bomb Survivor Health Handbook nationwide, with an average age exceeding 85. As the population ages, challenges related to coordination with nursing services and the expansion of health surveys for second- and third-generation survivors are increasing. The federation has played the role of a “translator” that conveys these challenges to the administration, transforming the voices from the field into the language of policy.

At first glance, testimonies and systems may seem like separate realms. However, it is only with a stable living foundation that survivors can speak freely. Continuing testimony activities while worrying about medical expenses should not be the case. Systems protect testimonies, and testimonies communicate the necessity of those systems to society — this cycle has been designed within the organization of the federation.

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Points of Interest Moving Forward — The “Next Move” in the Blueprint

Under the new leadership of Harada, several discussion points emerge.

First, as the aging of survivors continues, how to compensate for the physical limitations of testimony activities. The City of Hiroshima is already advancing a program to train “A-Bomb Experience Inheritors,” with over 200 individuals now capable of delivering testimonies on behalf of survivors. How this system connects with the federation’s activities will be key moving forward.

Second, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing. In this year, which will attract significant attention both domestically and internationally, how well the museum’s operational structure, the federation’s outreach capabilities, and the training of the next generation of inheritors are prepared will be crucial. Anniversaries provide opportunities for reflection but also test the durability of systems.

Third, how to leverage the international interest in the federation following its Nobel Peace Prize win. While the attention itself may be fleeting, if the foundations of systems and collaborations can be solidified during this time, the mechanisms will endure even after the spotlight fades.

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The Work of ‘Connecting’ Lies in the Arrangements

The phrase “inheritance of memory” is often discussed in the emotional realm. “We must not forget” and “we must convey” — the urgency of these sentiments is genuine. However, urgency alone does not create a system.

From Minomaki to Harada. The volunteers supporting the museum’s reservation system. The alumni managing events. Policy proposals that convey voices to the administration. — In each of these settings, someone is organizing arrangements, dividing roles, and shaping them into a form that can be passed on to the next person.

The essence of the work of “connecting” is not the words of the testimonies themselves but the structure that maintains the ability to pass them on. It is a humble, unglamorous, yet reliably functioning system. — Reading this blueprint is perhaps the most sincere way we can engage with the issue today.