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Hiroshima-Nagasaki Survivor, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Named 'Hibakusha'

by Tina Kells | March 24, 2009 at 01:20 pm

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Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a 93-year old Japanese man, is the first ever double certified "hibakusha," radiation survivor, for having lived through both the August 6, 1945 atomic bomb blast in Hiroshima and the August 9, 1945 attack on Nagasaki.

As a certified "hibakusha," Yamaguchi will be eligible for special government compensation and free health checks, and his funeral costs will be covered by Japan. Even though Yamaguchi is the first ever known survivor to have been at both atomic bomb sites he will not get twice the "hibakusha" compensation.

Tsutomu Yamaguchi had already been a certified "hibakusha," or radiation survivor, of the Aug. 9, 1945, atomic bombing in Nagasaki, but has now been confirmed as surviving the attack on Hiroshima three days earlier as well, city officials said.

Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip on Aug. 6, 1945, when a U.S. B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on the city. He suffered serious burns to his upper body and spent the night in the city. He then returned to his hometown of Nagasaki just in time for the second attack, city officials said.

"As far as we know, he is the first one to be officially recognized as a survivor of atomic bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki," Nagasaki city official Toshiro Miyamoto said. "It's such an unfortunate case, but it is possible that there are more people like him."

Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined killed nearly a quarter of a million people and the bombings have been credited with ushering in Japan's surrender to the United States. 260,000 people survived the devastation but have been plagued with radiation related illnesses and ailments.

The bombs that were dropped, Little Boy by B-52 bomber Enola Gay and The Fat Man by B-29 bomber Bock's Car, have been a historical controversy ever since. Many historians question the motives behind dropping the second bomb on Nagasaki. Images from that event have been used by anti-war activists as a call to end the nuclear arms race.

During the Cold War a documentary film called "If You Love this Planet" told the stories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in startling detail, showing the injuries inflicted on the survivors and describing in horrific detail the manner in which the 210,000 people killed that day died.

Memorials for the Earth's only atomic bomb victims are held every year across the globe, not just in Japan, on August 6 and August 9. During the 1980's peace marches were often held on these dates and Hiroshima and Nagasaki were held up as examples of the evils of modern warfare.

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kevin larriviere (not verified)

at 17:24 on April 12th, 2009

hey guys - is there a way to contact mr yamaguchi? with full respect to himself and his privacy

also to his family, him and his story and his life needs to be an instrument of hope to us all-- god

bless you mr yamaguchi, and your family..

Paul Polito (not verified)

at 07:41 on April 22nd, 2009

What's the matter with you idiot. Why would you want to contact a 93 year old Japanese man. What the hell are you thinking you meat head. Get your head out of the clouds.