“We can only build peace through speaking to each other.
The color of our skin or nationality does not matter.”
-Emiko Okada
肌の色が違おうと、国が違おうと、
出会いを大事にしたいんです。
人と人で対話をして、平和を作っていきたいのです。
I received the sad news that Mrs. Emiko Okada passed away on April 9th. I photographed Mrs. Okada in Hiroshima during 2010. She experienced the atomic bomb when she was eight years old, at her home 2.8km from the hypocenter. She devoted her life traveling the world to promote peace and the importance of nuclear disarmament.
Although Mrs. Okada endured living a difficult life, she never spoke begrudgingly. She describes herself as a “mouthpiece” for the departed.
“My sister was 12 years old. She went out and never came back.” Mrs. Okada’s elder sister has been missing since August 6th, 1945. Mrs. Emiko’s daughter has struggled against an incurable disease that decreases the number of blood platelets, most likely caused by the radiation that Mrs. Okada was exposed to.
I haven’t met many other individuals so devoted to teaching young people about peace and reconciliation. Mrs. Okada was 84 years old.
Mrs. Okada’s portrait a part of my From Above project which featured portraits of atomic bomb and firebombing survivors from WWII. My limited edition book is available at https://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?catalog=I1040&i=&i2=
Archive for the ‘Hibakusha’ Category
Emiko Okada
Sunday, April 11th, 2021Matashichi Oishi
Tuesday, March 30th, 2021
I received the sad news that Mr. Matashichi Oishi passed away on March 7th. Mr. Oishi was a former crew member of the Daigo Fukuryu-Maru (Lucky Dragon 5), tuna fishing boat that was exposed to radiation by an unannounced secret hydrogen bomb nuclear test at the Bikini Atoll on March 1st, 1954. They were fishing 160km away from the hypocenter. The bomb was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima. It contained 270 different kinds of radioactive materials.
Mr. Oishi saw a strong flash of light. An orange color soaked the sky. After 7 minutes they heard horrific rumbling. Strangely, the sea surface stayed calm. Frightened, they decided to return home. Soon after “ashes of death”(nuclear fallout) started falling, covering the boat like snow. They had no idea what it was, some licked the flakes. The flakes of ash didn’t melt, felt like sand and burned their skin. They removed the fishing nets and long fishing lines while the radioactive ashes fell.
After a 2 week journey, they arrived at Yaizu harbor. All of them already began to suffer from acute radiation diseases such as dizziness, loss of appetite, gum bleeding, diarrhea, vomiting, and hair loss. But they still didn’t know what they were exposed to.
A newspaper released the news about the nuclear test. It caused a panic in Japan. “Poisoned fishermen brought back poisoned tuna.” Even rain contaminated with radioactivity fell over Japan and other countries in the Pacific Ocean.
The panic created an anti-nuclear movement and encouraged Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb Survivors to speak about their experiences. Nearly 10 years after the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this was the first public discussion about nuclear weapons in Japan.
During the American Occupation, news about the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was censored. The American government allowed no public discussion or newspaper articles in Japan to be written about the bombings. Because of the censorship the Japanese public, outside of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, were largely unaware about the effects of radioactivity.
The Lucky Dragon 5 event was covered up in negotiations between the US and Japanese governments. The boat was painted over and dumped in a landfill in Tokyo. The ill fishermen were abandoned and outcast socially. Their lives changed completely. They didn’t have visible burn or scar but inside their bodies were radioactively contaminated. All battled various types of cancers throughout their lives. The first member of the crew died a half year later. More than half of the crew has died. All of them died from liver cancer.
Mr. Oishi suffered from varied aftereffects; including liver cancer and social discrimination. The company and government have claimed no responsibility for his health care bills even though he was exposed while working.
After 30 years of silence, he started to speak about his experiences. He is one of only two voices out of 23 Lucky Dragon crew members to speak. 856 boats, containing 17,000 Japanese fishermen, were present in the marine area the day of the nuclear test at Bikini Atoll. None of the others have chosen to speak or release their medical records.
Mr. Oishi was photographed at the location where the Lucky Dragon 5 was found. The discarded boat was discovered in 1967. The boat has since been persevered and a museum has been built around it.
It was an honor to photograph Mr. Oishi. I will always admire his bravery for speaking the truth. He’ll always be my friend.
Asahi newspaper Nagasaki
Saturday, January 23rd, 2021..January 2021.. ..Nagasaki..
Yesterday the Asahi newspaper in Nagasaki included my opinion about the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which was enacted as international law on January 22nd. A big thank you to Mizuki Enomoto for asking me to contribute to her article.
I began photographing atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) in 2008 and will continue to do so until the last voice goes silent. In 2011 these portraits were published as a book, From Above. Everyday I think about the people I met in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Most have passed but their memory lives on when the treaty banning nuclear weapons arrives.
Miyoko Matsubara
Friday, January 22nd, 2021
“Man developed nuclear weapons.
We have to question the human heart.
People can decide to abandon them.
I believe we can abolish nuclear weapons.”
-Miyoko Matsubara, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor
On January 22nd the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will be enacted as international law. I began photographing atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) in 2008 and will continue to do so until the last voice goes silent.
In 2011 these portraits were published as a book, From Above. Everyday I think about the survivors I met in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Most have passed but their memory lives on when the treaty banning nuclear weapons arrives.
Mrs. Matsubara was 12 years old when the atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima. Her story details the hard life during and after the war and the passion she derived from living through those years. The atomic bomb left her severely burned with keloid scars covering most of the body. She experienced discrimination because of her appearance. In 1953 she was selected to be part of the Hiroshima Maidens program which made it possible for her to have corrective and cosmetic surgeries.
After Mrs. Matsubara dedicated
her life to peace activism and helping other victims of war cope with
the aftermath. She raised her elder brother’s three young children when
he and his wife passed away.
My memories of the afternoon I spent
with Mrs. Matsubara will be that she was always affable. Her spirit
instantly brightened the room. She had suffered a stroke a couple of
years prior but made it a priority to practice speaking English in the
mirror so she didn’t lose her motor skills. She spoke to me in perfect
English.
That afternoon was my only time with Mrs. Matsubara. I still remember all the details vividly because she left a permanent impression. She always had this glow about her. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to call her my friend.
Setsuko Thurlow
Thursday, January 21st, 2021
“When I sit to write my recollections of that time, I have to brace myself to confront my memories of Hiroshima. It is exceedingly painful to do this because I become overwhelmed by my memories of grotesque and massive destruction and death.”
-Setsuko Thurlow, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor
On January 22nd the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will be enacted as international law. I began photographing Mrs. Thurlow in 2011. From the moment we met her determination to fight for the abolition of nuclear weapons was evident. She was 13 years old when the atomic bomb destroyed Hiroshima. Mrs. Thurlow was a prominent advocate of the treaty that will ban nuclear weapons. She has waited almost all her life for this moment.
Everyday I think about the survivors I met in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Most have passed but their memory lives on when the treaty banning nuclear weapons arrives.
Itaru Takahara
Thursday, August 13th, 2020
..August 2020.. ..Nagasaki..
“Every portrait has a silent voice.” -Itaru Takahara
写真とは、 声なき声。 高原至
I received the sad news that Mr. Itaru Takahara passed away on August 5th. He was 97 years old. Takahara-san survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and the firebombing of Tokyo five months prior.
I photographed Takahara-san in July 2010 when my hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) portraits were exhibited in Nagasaki. Takahara-san was a famous photographer who published a book documenting the ruins of the Urakami Cathedral. The atomic bomb detonated over Urakami which was home to the largest cathedral in eastern Asia. The cathedral was smashed and half of it’s steeple was tossed down a hill. Takahara-san spent years after the war documenting children playing and services being held in it’s ruins.
When I first met Takahara-san he asked me where my book was. I laughed and told him that no publisher was willing to print a book of my hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) and firebombing survivor portraits. I jokingly told him if I ever got a book offer he would have to write the introduction. A week later I was interviewed by ZERO NEWS, a national television show in Japan. The next day I was offered a book deal in Japan. Takahara-san wrote the introduction to my book, FROM ABOVE, that still inspires me to live every moment with a burning passion.
Takahara-san was a brilliant photographer but was an even better person. He had an infectious laugh, a zeal for life and the same weakness for chocolate cakes that I have. He paid attention to every minute detail of a photograph and saw beauty in silence. He reinforced that the importance of a photograph came from the emotion it resonated! The feelings are all that matters.
I will miss Takahara-san but the years I knew him left a permanent smile in my soul. You’ll always be my friend.
You can see Takahara-san somewhere in the middle of this documentary shot about my project FROM ABOVE. http://www.paulepictures.com/blog/?p=6834
Atomic Bomb Dome, 11:42pm
Saturday, August 8th, 2020
Tsukasa Uchida
Sunday, April 12th, 2020
..April 2020.. ..Nagasaki..
I received sad news that Mr. Tsukasa Uchida passed away on April 6th 2020. He was 90 years old and had been in the hospital for months.
Mr. Uchida experienced the atomic bombing of Nagasaki when he was 15 years old. He was rescued from underneath rubble at the Ohashi Plant of the Mitsubishi Arms Factory about a mile north of the hypocenter. Using a broken stick as a cane he struggled to get away from the burning factory and found refugee on a mountain.
When I photographed Mr. Uchida in 2016 he was in fragile condition but had a sharp mind. He spoke about his experiences in exact detail for two hours.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to have met such a brave person. Mr. Uchida has taught many people about the horrors of nuclear weapons. His passing is a great loss to humanity.
“I was heading to the rescue train using a wood stick.
There were rice fields on the way, I found something in there.
On first sight, I thought they were pumpkins, but they were human heads.”
-Tsukasa Uchida
私は木の棒をついて救援列車に向かった。
そこまでの道に田んぼがあり、その中にかぼちゃかなと思ったら、
人間の首が5つか6つ転がっていた。
内田伯
Masakatsu Obata
Wednesday, January 8th, 2020..January 2020.. ..Nagasaki..
I received the sad news that Mr. Masakatsu Obata passed away on December 12th, 2019, three days prior to his 102nd birthday. Mr. Obata was the first hibakusha, atomic bomb survivor, I ever met.
During our meeting I felt overwhelmed whilest he described his experiences on August 9th, 1945 and the days after. I had never heard such vivid descriptions of what had happened. Because it was my first conversation, I was overwhelmed. I don’t remember much and always have to look back at my notes when speaking about Mr. Obata’s testimony.
I’ve returned to Nagasaki many times since September 2008 but that was the only time we met.
When I took this portrait he was already 90 years old. I remember that he had as much energy as I did. We walked across to the park near the hypocenter and took the first portrait of what became the From Above project that has defined my career and who I am. From Above was published as a book and has so far been exhibited on three continents.
I’m grateful for Mr. Obata allowing me to begin my journey learning about the hibakusha and the horrors of nuclear war.
Ron Schlote
Thursday, November 14th, 2019
“After the war I saw the photo of the mushroom cloud, but I thought they should have shown photos of the people underneath. It’s a bloody shame!” -Ron Schlote
A few weeks ago I was informed that Mr. Ron Scholte passed away last autumn at the age of 94.
Ron Scholte was serving in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) when he was taken as a prison of war by the Japanese when they invaded Java in 1942 and later sent to Fukuoka Camp 14 in Nagasaki. He was used as a forced laborer until the end of the war in August 1945. He was one of 120 Dutch POWs to survive the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
I had the privilege of photographing Mr. Scholte in January 2015. I had learned about his story and it took me a long time to find him. Even on the day of our meeting my train connections to the southern Netherlands were delayed because of a small snowstorm in Amsterdam. I arrived at his home as the sunset, hours late, and snapped this photograph when I caught him glimpsing out a window as I walked to the front door.
I didn’t think this would be the portrait I would use in the project. But as time passed and I thought about his story it made sense. When I look at this photograph, he is beginning to fade away in the reflection of the landscape. A few years prior, he had begun writing down his experiences in Nagasaki because he was diagnosed with dementia. The story was too important to be lost in his fading mind so I’m grateful he had documented his experiences in great detail. That day he was able to speak for hours about what he had seen in Nagasaki.
He was living alone but shortly after my visit was moved to an elderly home as his mind rapidly deteriorated. He lived a little less than four years after we met.
Not many people know that there were Dutch POW’s affected by the atomic bomb. Most of them died from various forms of cancer within ten years of 1945. The majority of Dutch people I speak to about Mr. Schlote and Mr. Buchel, the other Dutch POW I photographed, are shocked to learn about their stories.
戦後きのこ雲の写真を見たが、きのこ雲ではなく、その下の人々の写真を見せるべきだと私は思った。非常に残念でならない。
日本が1942年ジャワ島を侵略した当時、彼はオランダ帝国東インド軍におりに、日本の捕虜にされた。その後長崎にある福岡俘虜収容所第14分所へ移送された。1945年8月の終戦まで、彼は強制労働者として使われた。彼は長崎原爆生存者である120人のオランダ人捕虜のうちの1人である。