Shigemi Fukahori, a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing who spent his life advocating for peace and opposing nuclear weapons, has passed away at the age of 93. He died on January 3 at a hospital in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, with local reports attributing his death to old age. The Urakami Catholic Church, a place he visited nearly every day until last year, confirmed his passing.
Located near the Nagasaki Peace Park and just 500 meters from ground zero, Urakami Church is a symbol of hope, with its bell tower and certain statues surviving the bombing.
Fukahori was just 14 years old when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killing tens of thousands, including his family. This bombing came three days after Hiroshima was attacked, which claimed the lives of 140,000 people. Japan surrendered shortly after, marking the end of World War II.
For many years, Fukahori struggled to talk about the horrors he experienced, both because of the traumatic memories and his sense of helplessness. However, about 15 years ago, he began speaking out after meeting a man in Spain who, at the age of 14, had lived through the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Their shared experiences helped Fukahori open up.
“I still remember the feeling when I tried to help someone, only to have their skin melt in my hand,” Fukahori recalled in a 2019 interview with Japan’s national broadcaster NHK.
Fukahori dedicated much of his life to educating students, urging them to take up “the baton of peace.” In 2019, he presented Pope Francis with a wreath of white flowers during the pontiff’s visit to Nagasaki. The following year, he represented the victims of the bombing at a ceremony, pledging to make Nagasaki the last place where an atomic bomb is ever dropped.
Funeral services for Fukahori will be held on Monday at Urakami Church, where his daughter will represent the family.