I am an Atomic Bomb Survivor
∼Why Keiko Ogura continues to tell her story∼
First aired 2:00-2:55 p.m., Sunday, August 6th, 2023
As atomic bomb survivors continue to age, they now face the question, “how much time do I have left?” Since March 2021, we followed the actions of one survivor, Keiko Ogura (86). She is one of a few remaining storytellers who gives her atomic bomb testimony in English. May 2023, she attracted attention when she met alone with world leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit.
Ogura was exposed to the atomic bomb at the age of eight, in Ushita, a town 2.4 km from the epicenter of the explosion. Like many other A-bomb survivors, she had continued to remain silent about her A-bomb experience. She felt that talking about her past would be like ripping her heart out, and she was afraid of discrimination against her family. She later married and lived happily with her family as a housewife. However, her husband, the director of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, died suddenly while drafting the Peace Declaration. Encouraged by foreign journalist friends of her husband, Ogura began to carry on her husband's wishes and became an A-bomb survivor interpreter. Her life changed completely as she desperately tried to relearn the English language on her own.
When she first began, she devoted her time solely to interpreting. However, she was confronted by one foreigner visiting Hiroshima who told her, “Interpreting is a waste of time. I’m left with no time to personally ask you questions. I’d like to hear about your experience of the atomic bombing.” She later decided that she would speak out and share her own experience of the atomic bombing. “Maybe I can convey the hidden suffering”, she thought. Following her husband's death, she continued to present her work both domestically and internationally at a rate of about two thousand people per year, for about 40 years.
When the program staff met Ogura, it was at a time when the more than 1.78 million annual foreign tourists visiting Hiroshima disappeared due to Covid-19. There was no longer a place for A-bomb survivors to share their stories. Despite all this, at the age of 83, Ogura continued to be active, studying computers and attempting web streaming. During these interviews, many atomic bomb survivors who had also shared their own testimonies passed away one after another. As she gets older, Ogura thinks about what she can do in the limited time she has left, and focuses on passing the baton onto the younger generation.
Then, in May 2023, she was suddenly selected to tell her story about the atomic bombing to world leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, as well as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy who made a surprise visit to Japan. While each hibakusha feels strongly about this historical moment, she felt conflicted about taking on this important role, saying it was too great of a burden. Even so, she was determined and took on the responsibility all on her own for three days. What has atomic bomb survivor Keiko Ogura conveyed during the two-and-a-half years of the coronavirus pandemic? What have those who have been handed the peace baton received? The show sheds light on the message passed on from one atomic bomb survivor.
Narrator:
Actor Masaki Okada
I was born on the anniversary of the end of the war, and always wanted to someday do work in something involving peace. I accepted this work with the intention of carrying on Keiko Ogura's feelings as a narrator, or rather, feeling close to her while conveying this event.
It was very difficult to give a voice to the story as a narrator. The scene where Keiko tells the media, “I expect you to tell the truth. People involved in the media have a responsibility.'' Those words resonated with me. I approached this work personally feeling the weight of those words, so I hope people watching this show will also take in the importance of the truth.
Director:
Momoe Ishii
I first met Keiko Ogura on the evening news “TSS Like!” Keiko was interviewed as an atomic bomb survivor. I was fascinated by her strong presence and power of words, and felt the importance of capturing this on film. The more time we spent with Keiko, before I know it, people gathered around me and things started to happen, one after another. I naturally felt the need to cover this. Keiko always says, “My role is to light a candle in the hearts of young people and have them feel the need to take action.'' I think I was one of those people who, at some point, was lit by this fire. Before I knew it, a show had been completed.
The memorial monument in Peace Park is engraved with the inscription, “For we shall not repeat the evil.” Keiko and other A-bomb survivors have continued to convey the message, “I don't want anyone else to go through what I did.” However, now that Russia has invaded Ukraine, this situation is being shaken. Now, more than ever, we need to listen to the voices of the atomic bomb survivors who have suffered in ways not visible to the eye. For two-and-a-half years, Keiko has sown many seeds of peace both at home and abroad. I hope everyone who watches the program will also receive Keiko’s message. Through this experience, I hope that something will sprout in their heart, and that it will one day blossom.
Profile
Joined TSS-TV in 2000 as an announcer. For six years, she reported from Hiroshima on Mezamashi TV and hosted sports shows. Served as newscaster on the evening “TSS Super News” from 2003 for ten years. She received the FNS Announcement Award in 2004. Since 2011, she has served as a part-time lecturer at Yasuda Women's University. Transferred to the news department in 2015. Since the transfer, she is in charge of city administration and is program director for the evening news program “Minna no TV.” Currently in charge of the child-rearing and SDG section. In 2022, produced a documentary on the theme of organ transplants, titled “Baton of Life - Japan, a less developed country in transplants.” Received the Japan Commercial Broadcasting Federation Award for Excellence for reporting in the Chugoku-Shikoku region. Received the 2022 LINE Journalism Award for a collaborative article distributed on LINE News on the theme of transplant medicine. "I am an Atomic Bomb Survivor" is her second documentary.She won the Encouragement Award in the TV category in the first half of the 61st Galaxy Awards in 2023.
