“There are more than 12,000 nuclear weapons globally. There is a possibility that everyone could be a victim of an atomic bomb.” – Suzuka Nakamura, Peace Activist from Nagasaki 

On August 6, unprecedented devastation visited the unsuspecting residents of Hiroshima, and then three days later, Nagasaki. It was the first, the second, and only uses of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. The impact was catastrophic. Some people were killed instantly where they stood; some were burned with radiation; some died days, weeks, and months later, never finding their missing friends and family. Some people survived the initial blast, but developed cancers years later; some of the next generations were born with birth defects, and some still carried the scars of radiation burns and the marks of their clothing seared into their skin for the rest of their lives. Children like Sadako Sasaki, only two years old when the skies darkened over Hiroshima, survived to age 12. But she only survived to die of leukemia, known as the “A-bomb disease,” from the massive amount of radiation that racked her body on that day, joining the other 140,000 to 260,000 people lost.

This year, the Korematsu Institute is pleased to again take part in the #CranesForOurFuture campaign that coincides with the grim anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). The crane represents peace, hope, and long life, and the campaign encourages us all to envision a world without the threat of nuclear weapons. 

The level of destruction of the world’s first atomic bomb is hard to imagine. But activists around the world are working to make sure we will never forget and never repeat this gross injury of the past. In 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, survivors (hibakusha) of the atomic bombs from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for their work to achieve a nuclear-free world and demonstrate through their experience that nuclear weapons must never be used again.  

In 2026, the United Nations brought together 50 young leaders from 39 countries in their Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki and speak with hibakusha to develop a concrete plan for nuclear disarmament and the role young people can play in education, long-term collaboration, and global action.

The Fred T. Korematsu Institute recognizes the unparalleled destruction of the atomic bomb and that the threat of nuclear war serves no one and harms us all. August 6 and August 9 stand as two stark reminders of the catastrophic loss of life and the brutal legacy of aggression and inhumanity brought to life with unforgiving explosive power. Today, 81 years later, the threat is still real. We are still able to be held hostage by the threat of nuclear annihilation. 

We must remember that HISTORY IS NOW and work together to create a future where the horrors of the past can never be repeated. We cannot forget, but relegate this horrific legacy to the history books and our memories. This is about all of us.

LEARN MORE:

You can learn more about the campaign, which runs from August 6-9, how you can join in, and the story of Sadako Sasaki on their website here: LINK 

“No one should be a hibakusha.” How do we design a world without nuclear weapons? Suzuka Nakamura | United Nations LINK

REFERENCES:

The Nobel Prize. “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo,”  11 October 2024. LINK

United Nations. “‘No one should be a hibakusha’: Young Japanese activist’s mission to share atomic bomb survivor stories,” 9 March 2026. LINK

United Nations. “Advocating World without Nuclear Weapons, Youth Begin Historic Visit to Hiroshima, Nagasaki to Meet with Atomic Bomb Survivors, Outline Concrete Steps for Change,” 29 June 2026. LINK