International Meeting
2002 World Conference against A & H Bombs
Shunji Mukai
A-Bomb Survivor Living in Brazil
Atomic-bomb Survivors in Brazil are in need of aid
1. I am
a survivor of the atomic bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima on August
6, 1945. Since 1955, I have lived
in Brazil.
2. At the time of the atomic bombing, I was 15 and on the
student mobilization program for the war at an ammunition factory at
Funairi-honcho, 1.3 km away from the hypocenter. A splinter of glass got stuck in my body, making me
bloody. I suffered burns all over
my body. I fell unconscious for a
while after the bombing, but I soon came around when I felt the heat of the approaching
fires, and fled to Enami. My
brother Shoji, who is now the vice president of the Association of Atomic-bomb
Survivors in Brazil, ran into me.
He saved me. My parents
should have been at home in Honkawa-cho, 500 meters away from the hypocenter,
but we unable to find their remains.
3. After the war’s end, we, six brothers and sisters, settled
in Hoei-cho, my parents' hometown.
For three years, I remained bedridden, hovering between life and. Later, I learned that people around me
were almost giving me up. We
couldn't count on our relatives.
My eldest brother worked desperately in place of our parents to support
his brothers and sisters. We were
in so indescribably squalid conditions that we had to eat rice bran, rats,
weed, and even poisonous snakes.
4. One day, we learned that the government and Hiroshima Prefecture were encouraging people to immigrate to Brazil. The program was touted as one of
helping to become rich in Brazil in four years. We thought, "It is useless to stay in Japan. We would be able to satisfy our stomach
in Brazil.” In 1955 we moved
to Brazil.
5. In Brazil, we were employed at a plantation. But there was no such thing as “money
tree” there. On the contrary, “hard
labor” awaited us, which was terrible physically and mentally. We started an
incredibly hard life in Brazil, because we didn't understand the language, the
geography or custom there. In
“inhumane conditions” we struggled to survive those difficult days. “No more immigrants for our children or
grandchildren” was what we used to say to each other.
6. In 1984, a Japanese-language newspaper
in Brazil reported
that overseas Hibakusha would be
able to receive medical examination under the Hibakusha Medical Law and the
Special Hibakusha Welfare Law. But
it soon turned out that the report was not true. Ironically, this misinformation prompted us to begin an
effort to make a list of Hibakusha in Brazil, and the Association of Hibakusha
in Brazil was formed at the initiative of
Mr. and Mrs. Morita.
Every year, Mr. Morita, the president of the Association,
traveled to Japan and requested that the Japanese government extend aid to the
Hibakusha in Brazil. But sending a
Japanese medical team to Brazil every other year was the only step that was
taken in response to our request.
The measure itself was very thankful, but the number of Hibakusha who
get medical checkup grew smaller year after year because they get much older
and even have much difficulty to reach Sao Paulo for medical examination. What we need is not only checkup but
also treatment. In fact, many of
us are not very enthusiastic about receiving medical examination. Japan does
nothing more than this biennial medical examination.
7. The Hibakusha in Brazil are not well informed of what the
after-effects of the atomic bomb were like. Is it true that the bombing will adversely affect for
generations? With little knowledge
about the after-effects, we have tried to keep others from finding that we are
Hibakusha.
8. In Brazil we do not have a publicly funded medical insurance
system like in Japan. We only have
private company-run health insurance plans. Only private insurance policyholders can get medical
benefits, and the premiums are so high that Japanese people may not be able to
imagine. Of course, low-premium
insurance policies are available but they only provide small financial
aid. The premiums are certainly
higher for older people. I am now
72 years old and have no medical insurance policy because I can't afford to pay
the expensive premiums. So I don't see doctors when I'm slightly ill.
I came back to Japan at the invitation of Hiroshima
Prefecture on the 50th anniversary of the atomic bombing, and on that occasion
underwent a medical exam at Funairi Hospital. I was then diagnosed as with left
lung out of function. The doctor
told me not to work too hard. All
aging Hhibakusha have some physical disorder or illness. However, we can't go to hospital out of
concern about expensive medical bills
9. This year, the Japanese government launched a program that
allows overseas Hibakusha to visit Japan for medical treatment at the
government expense. However, it
takes at least 24 hours for Hibakusha in South America to fly to Japan.
Moreover, Hibakusha living in smaller cities will need additional hours for domestic
flights. So such a long air travel will only enable those Hibakusha in 'not so
bad' health conditions, and the many Hibakusha who are aged or in a bad
physical condition can't endure such long flights. In short, on this program,
those who badly need medical treatment can't reach Japan!
10. We are Hibakusha!
We want the Japanese government to extend us the same aid as the one
made available to the Hibakusha living in Japan. We want to be entitled to medical aid without fear of
medical costs. We earnestly hope
that the government will allow us to receive medical treatment in the place we
live, not in Japan. This is what
we demand from the Japanese government.
11. We would not have immigrated to Brazil if the Japanese
government and Hiroshima Prefecture had not encouraged us to do so. We moved to Brazil in accordance with
the Japanese government policy. Nevertheless, the Japanese government’s
attitude is one of regarding us as having nothing to do with Japan. We are truly Japanese born in Japan! Isn't it cruel of the Japanese
government to maintain such an attitude toward us on the grounds that we chose
to live abroad?
I have long believed that I should not talk about our
unbearable experience to others. I
even haven't told my family about it.
But as long as the Japanese government sticks to such an inhumane
policy, I decided that I should no more keep silent about it. Following Mr. MORITA Takashi, I filed a
lawsuit with the Hiroshima District Court against the Japanese government and
Hiroshima Prefecture.
I would like to ask you all to
help us with the suit filed by Hibakusha in Brazil. I also hope that you give the same support to the suits
filed by Korean Hibakusha, which are currently pending at the Osaka and
Nagasaki district courts.