JAPAN: HIROSHIMA MARKS 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF ATOM BOMB.

Record ID: 358998

  • Title: JAPAN: HIROSHIMA MARKS 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF ATOM BOMB.
  • Date: 8th August 1967
  • Summary: LANTERNS FLOATING DOWN RIVER; LANTERNS PASSING "ATOMIC DOME" MEMORIAL; MAN PRAYING. Initials AA/V-S/JF/BB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA5FJU24O4GOCH4VVKDD2693M7M
  • Story Text: ON SUNDAY HIROSHIMA SOLEMNLY OBSERVED THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATOM BOMB EXPLOSION THAT DESTROYED THE CITY AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF MORE THAN 200,000 LIVES. AS THOUSANDS ATTENDED MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR THE DEAD, ANOTHER MAN DIED OF ATOMIC RADIATION. THE MAN WAS NOT IN HIROSHIMA ON AUGUST 6TH, 1945, WHEN THE UNITED STATES DROPPED THE ATOMIC BOMB, BUT HE WAS AFFECTED BY LINGERING RADIATION WHEN HE ENTERED THE CITY A WEEK LATER TO SEARCH FOR HIS BROTHER WHO HAD LIVED THERE.

    IN THE EVENING RELATIVES OF THE DEAD SENT SOME 10,000 LIGHTED PAPER LANTERNS FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH HIROSHIMA IN MEMORY OF THE ATOM BOMB VICTIMS.

    THE LANTERNS, MADE OF PAPER, CARRY SIMPLE INSCRIPTIONS. THEY ARE FLOATED DOWN THE MOTOYASU RIVER ON A SMALL CROSS OF WOOD, WITH THE LIGHTED CANDLE BURNING IN THE MIDDLE.

    RELATIVES MAKE THE LANTERNS FOR THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED. AS THE LANTERNS ARE BORNE SLOWLY THROUGH THE CITY BY THE RIVER THEY PASS THE "ATOMIC DOME" -- A STARK MEMORY OF 1945 WHICH STANDS TODAY EXACTLY AS IT DID AFTER THE BOMB HAD FALLEN.

    TOMORROW THERE WILL BE SIMILAR MEMORIAL SERVICES IN NAGASAKI MARKING THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DROPPING OF THE SECOND ATOM BOMB ON THAT CITY.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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