Shigemi Fukahori, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor Dies at 93

Shigemi Fukahori, a survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki, passed away at the age of 93 on January 3, 2025. Fukahori dedicated his life to advocating for peace and nuclear disarmament, often sharing his painful experiences with students and people around the world. His life’s mission was to prevent the horrors he witnessed from ever happening again, and he played a significant role in spreading anti-nuclear messages globally.

Key Highlights

Survivor of Nagasaki Atomic Bombing

• Fukahori was 14 years old when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killing tens of thousands, including his family.
• He worked at a shipyard about 3 kilometers from ground zero and witnessed the devastation firsthand.

Peace Advocacy

• After years of silence, Fukahori began to speak out about the bombing after meeting a survivor of the Guernica bombing, a shared traumatic experience that led him to open up.
• He devoted his life to advocating against nuclear weapons, often addressing students with a call to take on “the baton of peace.”

Emotional and Personal Accounts

• Fukahori shared his haunting memories of the day the bomb was dropped, recalling a tragic encounter where he reached out to a person whose skin melted away from the bomb’s effects.

Role in Ceremonies and Advocacy

• Fukahori represented atomic bomb victims at various events, including a key ceremony where he pledged to make Nagasaki the final place where an atomic bomb would ever be dropped.
• In 2019, he handed Pope Francis a wreath during his visit to Nagasaki, underscoring his lifelong mission for peace.