On a quiet spring afternoon, students in Robert Fish’s International Relations class gathered for an unforgettable visit, one that transcended textbooks and brought living history into the room.
Hiroshima atomic bomb survivors Jiro Hamasumi and Hiroshi Kanemoto, both representing Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organization of Hibakusha awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, traveled from Japan to share their stories of survival, loss and the ongoing fight for a world without nuclear weapons.
Their visit on May 2 marked a rare opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the August 6, 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and also a call to remember the human cost of war. The event was documented by correspondents from Fuji TV, one of Japan’s leading broadcast networks, as well as Tower Broadcast News.
As representatives of Nihon Hidankyo, the two men are a part of a legacy of activism that has spanned nearly 70 years. Formed in 1956, the group has spent decades promoting nuclear disarmament, speaking at the United Nations and keeping alive what has been called the “nuclear taboo,” a global norm against the use of nuclear weapons.
Fish described the visit as an intensely human experience that went far beyond anything a video or textbook could offer. He said, “There’s something about hearing a story directly from someone who lived it, especially when that story is nearly unimaginable, that hits at an emotional level. It really helps bring meaning to the things we study.”
Reflecting specifically on his course, Fish added, “In International Relations we spend a lot of time talking about the rules of war, about nuclear policy, and international agreements. But hearing from someone who actually lived through the consequences of those decisions—that changes the conversation.”
Kanemoto was just nine months old when the bomb dropped. At the time, he was being carried on the back of his 15-year-old sister and was buried under debris from the blast. Presumed dead, Kanemoto was later revived. Decades later, he would learn that the man who saved him was his own father. Kanemoto explained that his survival wasn’t just a stroke of luck, but a lifelong calling. “I feel the obligation to keep living and dedicate my life for peace,” he said.
Hamasumi, on the other hand, had not yet been born. His mother was three months pregnant with him when the bomb fell. On the day of the bombing, his family home in Yaga, near Hiroshima, sheltered over 30 people. His father went to work that morning and never returned. Days later, the family was able to recover only a few of his artifacts: a belt buckle, a ring of keys and a piece of his wallet.
The personal nature of the survivors’ stories resonated deeply with students. Senior Alex Thorn, a member of the International Relations class who also recently traveled to Japan with the school, said the testimonies brought him right back to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. “I was reminded of pictures of children and their destroyed items,” he said. “I think that’s a testament to the speakers that they conveyed what took me hours to absorb in the museum, all in a single presentation.”
As the two men recounted their stories, they described the devastation of the bomb itself, but also the less visible scars that followed. They explained that many survivors faced discrimination when seeking employment or marriage due to fears of radiation exposure and birth defects.
In response to a student’s question about whether they felt hatred toward the United States, Kanemoto said, “Of course, but not now.”
Hatred, they explained, yields nothing. What matters now is ensuring that such devastation is never repeated.
Hamasumi added, “Wars do not allow people to live or realize their dreams. Dreams can only be realized in peaceful times.”
For Fish, the impact on students was undeniable. He said, “Even though most of our students have no direct ties to Japan or to war, I saw them connect emotionally in a way that was very real. Despite all these differences in life experience, there was that connection.”
