Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors share experiences in New Mexico: 'The burden I've carried'

Dec. 3On August 9, 1945, six-year-old Chiyoko Motomura was playing on the veranda of her family home in Nagasaki, Japan. Her mother, aunt, and grandfather were tending the rice fields, while her grandmother prepared lunch, when a sudden, thunderous crack filled the air.

"Bachiiiiing!" Motomura, now 86, recalled during a translated presentation at the University of New Mexico's Zimmerman Library on Wednesday. "A blinding light erupted before me, and a violent force threw me into the garden."

Her grandmother immediately shielded her and carried her to an air raid shelter, even as glass shards embedded in her back. "There was a fiery ball, a deafening roar, and a powerful blast of wind," Motomura said. "The silence afterward has stayed with me ever since."

The presentation coincided with a visit by members of the Nagasaki Prefecture Hibakusha Health Handbook Holder's Association to Los Alamos and UNM, where they shared the lasting impact of nuclear bombings with the public. The delegation of 10 included hibakushaatomic bomb survivorsand descendants of those who experienced the bombing firsthand. After New Mexico, the group planned to visit Hawaii and Pearl Harbor, according to member Kazuhiro Ihara.

Two days after the bombing, Motomura recounted visiting the bomb's epicenter in search of relatives. "All I found were burned bodies," she said. "It was only by recognizing the faint pattern on my aunts pants that I could identify her."

Her grandmother passed away six months later. "I feel a lifetime of guilt," Motomura shared. "All because she protected me. That has been the burden I've carried for 80 years."

Fellow association member Sawa Yamanishi, whose grandmother also survived Nagasaki, stressed the importance of international cooperation. "To eliminate nuclear weapons, global engagement matters just as much as politics."

Dr. Masao Tomonaga, 82, was two years old when the bomb struck. Living within two miles of the blast, his family fled to a nearby shrine and eventually left Nagasaki, losing everything. "The devastation was total," he recalled.

Within a mile of the blast, many died instantly or suffered severe burns, while survivors faced acute radiation sickness. Motivated by his early experiences, Tomonaga pursued a medical career, studying leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes to understand radiation's long-term effects. His research showed that childhood leukemia rates surged among those closest to the detonation, with other cancers rising over decades.

Survivors also endured severe psychological trauma, including depression and PTSD. "The mental impact was profound," Tomonaga said, referencing a 1995 WHO survey linking proximity to the bomb with higher rates of psychological disorders. "Yet, these people rebuilt lives and families despite immense suffering."

With fewer than 100,000 survivors remaining today, that number is expected to drop below 200,000 in the next two decades.

The visit concluded with a workshop at the Zimmerman Library's Waters Room, where attendees shared reflections on the atomic bomb and its consequences. The room featured Yuko Monden's 19-foot acrylic painting "Nagasaki," depicting the city's devastation on one end and a peace statue on the other.

Motomura ended her talk with a poignant question: "Is my experience as a six-year-old just a forgotten story of a life left unprotected? Should it remain just a tale?"

She answered: "No. Many lives are still at risk, and some voices call for nuclear weapons to be used again. We must remember, share, and prevent it from happening."

Commentary: The Enduring Legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The horrors of nuclear warfare, as experienced by survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan, continue to echo through generations. Chiyoko Motomura, now 86, shared her haunting memory of the Nagasaki bombing in 1945, recounting the moment of destruction with vivid detail. Her personal testimony is not merely a recount of past trauma, but a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the long-lasting impacts of nuclear weapons.

While many of the hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivors, have passed, the few remaining voices — like Motomura's — carry an urgent message. Their stories serve as living evidence of the irreversible devastation caused by nuclear weapons, both physically and psychologically. Dr. Masao Tomonaga's research on radiation's long-term effects, particularly childhood leukemia, underscores the lasting health consequences that persist decades after the bombings. As the number of survivors dwindles, it is vital that their accounts remain heard, not just as history, but as a warning for the future.

The visit to the University of New Mexico, where survivors shared their testimonies, offers an important opportunity for reflection on the importance of global peace efforts. As Sawa Yamanishi aptly stated, international cooperation is essential in the fight to eliminate nuclear weapons. The stories of survivors, like Motomura and Tomonaga, emphasize the moral imperative to prevent such devastation from ever being repeated. The world must heed their call — to remember, to share, and to take action.

As we approach the era where fewer survivors remain, their message is clearer than ever: nuclear weapons must never be used again. The tragic reality of Nagasaki and Hiroshima should remain a lesson to the world, not just in history books, but in our collective efforts toward a future free from nuclear threats.

Sources:

• 'The cross I've carried': Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors share experiences in New Mexico