The anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki always evokes frustrations among the Japanese people. This was especially true of the latest anniversary -- the 55th and the last of this century. The reason is simple: The goal of a nuclear arms-free world seems distant even as the new century approaches.
Memories of the tragedies have faded steadily with the passage of time. Whenever August comes around, Japanese newspapers and magazines feature articles and photos showing what a horrific means of mass murder nuclear weapons are. TV and radio programs also focus on the tragic fate that struck the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. All were intended to be a recurring warning against tragedies caused by nuclear weapons. Yet, such efforts are a thing of the past.
There are several reasons. For one thing, the threat of impending nuclear war disappeared with the end of the East-West confrontation. At home, the number of "hibakusha," atomic bomb victims, has continued to fall, from a peak of a little over 372,000 in 1980 to 297,613 in March this year.