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2020 marks 75 years since the end of World War II, and 75 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the first time a nuclear weapon was used in war. The FPCJ has invited Ms. Keiko Ogura, a hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) from Hiroshima, to hold an online press briefing ahead of the anniversary of the bombing, August 6.

When Ms. Ogura was eight years old and in her second year of elementary school, the bomb was dropped when she was near her home, around 2.4 kilometers from the center of the blast. In 1984, she established Hiroshima Interpreters for Peace (HIP), and by interpreting for foreign researchers and journalists who visit Hiroshima, she has worked to communicate the reality of the atomic bombing to the world. Despite this being the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on activities to tell of Hiroshima’s experience, with school trips which would have come from around Japan and events overseas having been cancelled, and memorials being reduced in scale or cancelled.

Ms. Ogura will discuss her current thoughts on the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing, her hopes for the abolishment of nuclear weapons, and what she would like to tell people as we live during a pandemic.

<Ms. Keiko Ogura’s testimony of her experience during the atomic bombing>

Video http://hpmmuseum.jp/modules/news/index.php?action=PageView&page_id=196&lang=eng

Text http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/hpcf/heiwabunka/pce67/english/67_15E.html

■Please note that you cannot physically attend this briefing, as it will be an online press briefing held as a Zoom webinar. 

■Date: Monday, July 27, 2020, 14:30～16:00 (Deadline for application: 15:00, July 22)

■Briefer: Ms. Keiko Ogura [Profile] 

■Language: Japanese, with consecutive English interpretation 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　                  

■Deadline for application: 15:00, July 22
Note: No reply will be sent confirming your application, but after applying an email will be sent before the day of the briefing with details on how to join the briefing.

As in our standard press briefings, there will be a Q&A session at the end.
*In principle, questions will only be accepted from members of the foreign press.

■Members of the Foreign Press:
Please send any questions for the briefer or topics you are interested in to cp@fpcjpn.or.jp by 15:00 on July 22. As there will only be a limited amount of time to ask questions during the briefing, we will collect questions and provide them to the briefer in advance.

■Embassy representatives and FPCJ supporting members may also watch the briefing as observers (admission free).