Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Survivors Visit Worcester to Advocate for Nuclear Disarmament

Japanese atomic bomb survivors and peace advocates visited Worcester to share firsthand testimony about Hiroshima, the dangers of nuclear weapons, and the growing global risk of nuclear war.

By-Hank Stolz

Photo-Radio Worcester

Worcester, MA-Massachusetts peace organizations and nuclear disarmament advocates welcomed two Japanese atomic bomb survivors and activists to Worcester on Tuesday as part of an international effort to warn against the growing threat of nuclear war.

Mr. Hiroshi Kanamoto and Mr. Yoshinori Ohmura, leading members of the hibakusha organization, joined Talk of the Commonwealth through an interpreter to discuss their experiences, peace advocacy efforts, and the urgency of global nuclear disarmament.

Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, Program Director for the Center for Nonviolent Solutions and one of the organizers responsible for bringing the delegation to Worcester, also joined the discussion alongside Dr. Joseph Gerson, President of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security.

A central message repeated throughout the conversation was simple but direct:

“Human beings and nuclear weapons cannot coexist.”

The delegation’s visit comes during a period of growing international concern over nuclear tensions and armed conflicts around the world. Speakers warned that the long-standing “nuclear taboo” that emerged after World War II is weakening, creating what they described as a dangerous moment in human history.

Mr. Kanamoto, now 80 years old, survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as an infant. He was just 9 months old on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the city. At the time, he was being carried on the back of his 15-year-old sister, Taeko.

The explosion buried him beneath debris, leaving him barely breathing. He was later revived by a man he would only discover decades later was his father, who died soon afterward due to the effects of the bombing.

Kanamoto has spent years sharing his testimony across Japan and internationally, including appearances at the United Nations in New York. During the Worcester conversation, his warnings echoed concerns he has raised for years about the normalization of nuclear threats and warfare.

Yoshinori Ohmura represents a different but closely connected perspective as a second-generation hibakusha, the child of someone directly impacted by the atomic bombings. Many second-generation survivors live with fears surrounding radiation-related illnesses, genetic impacts, discrimination, and social stigma.

It is estimated that between 300,000 and 500,000 second-generation hibakusha live in Japan.

Speakers also discussed practical actions listeners can take to support nuclear disarmament efforts, emphasizing education, political advocacy, and public awareness as critical components of long-term peace initiatives.

For organizers and participants alike, the Worcester event was not simply about remembering history. It was about warning future generations about the consequences of allowing nuclear weapons to remain part of modern global conflict.