Upload: 28 February 2020, Last update: 29 February 2020

Atomic bomb “Little Boy”[0.5] was dropped by B29 Enola Gay in Hiroshima[0.6] “at 8:15 am on 6 August” 1945[1] — “43 seconds later”[1.1] exploded — after the Trinity test succeeded on 16 July the same year[2].

The a-bomb exploded about 600 meters above[2.1] of the present (as of February 2020) Shima clinic for internal medicine which had been originally serving as Shima hospital since 1933[2.2].

3 days later from the bomb in Hiroshima, on 9 August, Fatman was dropped in Nagasaki[2.5].

Because of Little Boy in Hiroshima, it is estimated that about 140,000 people died until the end of 1945 according to Hiroshima city[3].

The atomic bomb’s tremendous energy comes from nuclear fission.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial, or the Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome)[3.5] was Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall[3.6] which had been a building for local industry[4][4.5]. It was designed by Jan Letzel[5], architect who was “born in Náchod”[6] of “the present Czech Republic”[7]. He was asked by the then governor of Hiroshima prefecture Sukeyuki Terada in July 1913[8].

“In May 2016,”[9] Barack Obama, who was then in office as the 44th US president[10], visited Hiroshima.

The visit I went in February 2020 gave me opportunity to think about not just 1945 atomic bomb but also more broadly nuclear related issues. I think that preserving buildings and creating this sort of place to the world is important to convey history to people including the future generations. Because Hiroshima now preserves the history, I got an opportunity to look at the history after the visiting was planned, and I will try to think about more on these matters.

[0.5] Le Monde. Comment fonctionne une bombe atomique ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PARlF1tKfg Posted on 4 August 2017. Accessed 18 January 2020. Around 0:22-.

[0.6] CNN. Why the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/06/us/hiroshima-anniversary-explainer-trnd/index.html Last update on 6 August 2019. Accessed 13 February 2020.

[1] The City of Hiroshima. 原爆被害の概要. Available at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1111637106129/index.html Accessed 12 February 2020.

[1.1] The City of Hiroshima. 原爆被害の概要. http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1111637106129/index.html Accessed 16 February 2020.

[2] WIRED. July 16, 1945: Trinity Blast Opens Atomic Age. https://www.wired.com/2008/07/dayintech-0716-2/ Published on 16 July 2008. Accessed 18 January 2020.

[2.1] Based on the description on a webpage of 島内科医院, available at http://www.shimagekanaika.jp/access.html Accessed 16 February 2020, an explanation in front of the clinic, visited in 2020, and the City of Hiroshima’s webpage 原爆被害の概要 available at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1111637106129/index.html accessed 16 February 2020.

[2.2] Based on the description on a webpage of Shima clinic for internal medicine, available at http://www.shimagekanaika.jp/access.html accessed 16 February 2020.

[2.5] CNN. Why the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/06/us/hiroshima-anniversary-explainer-trnd/index.html Last update on 6 August 2019. Accessed 13 February 2020.

[3] A Hiroshima city webpage in which the estimation of casualties is mentioned. Available at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1111638957650/index.html Accessed 12 February 2020.

[3.5] UNESCO. Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome). Available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775/ Accessed 13 February 2020. The website of and named Atomic Bomb Dome organised by Hiroshima city available at http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/dome/genre/1001000050001/index.html Accessed 13 February 2020.

[3.6] The English translation of Hiroshimaken-sangyo-syourei-kan (広島県産業奨励館) as Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall is based on the description on the website of UNESCO. Available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/775/. Accessed 13 February 2020.

[4] 頴原澄子. 原爆ドーム: 物産陳列館から広島平和記念碑へ. 吉川弘文館. ISBN978-4-642-05831-5. p.10. pp.48-50.

[4.5] The name of the building when constructed in 1915 was Hiroshimaken-bussan-chinretsukan (広島県物産陳列館) in Japanese, changed in [Source: p.10 of 頴原 澄子. 原爆ドーム: 物産陳列館から広島平和記念碑へ. 吉川弘文館. ISBN978-4-642-05831-5.]

[5] 頴原澄子. 原爆ドーム: 物産陳列館から広島平和記念碑へ. 吉川弘文館. ISBN978-4-642-05831-5. pp.36-38.

[6] Ibid. p.26.

[7] Ibid. p.26.

[8] Ibid. p.25, 36.

[9] CNN. Why the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/06/us/hiroshima-anniversary-explainer-trnd/index.html Last update on 6 August 2019. Accessed 13 February 2020.

[10] CNN. Why the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/06/us/hiroshima-anniversary-explainer-trnd/index.html Last update on 6 August 2019. Accessed 13 February 2020 and https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/barack-obama/ Accessed 14 February 2020.

What I wrote this time is not consistent with the one published before as I have been thinking about related issues since the last publishing.

1. Withdrawal of the public fund

1. Withdrawal of the public fund

The fund had been adopted on 4 April[d]. The Agency for Cultural Affairs published the press release on 26 September that they do not provide the public funding with the Aichi Triennale 2019[a] — the fund was 78,290,000 yen[e], about 711,727 USD (1$=110JPY), about 652,417 EUR (1€=120JPY). This was “unprecedented”[i] that the decision which had been decided through the original process was withdrawn[j]. The decision was made “without consulting”[f] the members including Kunihiro Noda[g]. On 2 October[h], Kunihiro Noda, professor at Tottori University, left his position of the committee involved in deciding the adoption of the fund[c].

It became to public that there’s no minutes of the process of deciding to withdraw it[b].

I think that for many it looked like an ideological confrontation and I cannot deny that aspect. One of the tasks of the organizers is to create a space that the works are exhibited safely during the whole period as scheduled.

Society doesn’t become enriched at least in terms of culture if expression is restricted.

[a] The press release of the Agency for Cultural Affairs available at http://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/1421672.html Published 26 September 2019, Accessed 27 January 2020.

[b] https://twitter.com/motomura_nobuko/status/1178944070174904320 A tweet posted on 1 October 2019. Accessed 29 January 2020.

[c] jnpc. 「＜表現の不自由展・その後＞のその後」(2) 野田邦弘・鳥取大学教授　2019.10.24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LZRJr99v3c From the beginning to 1:23. Accessed 31 January 2020.

[d] Ibid. 17:44-18:18.

[e] Ibid. Around 21:17-21:28.

[f] Ibid. Around 22:07-22:12.

[g] Ibid. Around 22:07-22:12.

[h] Ibid. Around 22:39-22:52.

[i] Ibid. Around 25:20-25:32. This was on the slide and spoken.

[j] Ibid.

Upload: 23 February 2020, Last update: 5 April 2020

Would be better to aware that one cannot move to the past. One goes forward in one’s own life, One changes as surroundings change and cannot be the same as the moment which anyone imagine. Essentials may look like unchanged, but even if it seems so, the it’s not completely the same as before since some are added to oneself.

Time proceeds without stopping. When one made a mistake, and wants to redo it isn’t redo in a sense that time has passed. Redo isn’t actually redo of the time it should have been succeeded.

Doing close to the first time is difficult.

Because time is limited, what are achieved have value.

Upload: 20 February 2020, Last update: 28 February 2020

Without having meaning in action, it rests in loop of the same action or nothing.

Giving meaning to action moves oneself forward.

Verbalizing is an act that clarify the meaning.

This is related to the reality.

Upload: 19 February 2020, Last update: 5 April 2020

1. The Diamond Princess cruise ship, Japan

2. On the epidemic and the world

1. The Diamond Princess cruise ship, Japan

Kentaro Iwata, who is a professor specializing infectious diseases at Kobe university[1], Japan, entered into the cruise ship Diamond Princess. After being forced to leave, he posted a video both in English[2] and Japanese[3] (it might be translated into other language). In the video, he reported the internal environment of the cruise, saying that “the cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of the infection control”[4]. There wasn’t clear line that the zone free from the virus and not. Referring to his experiences of Ebola, Cholera, SARS, the internal control didn’t reach the baseline — he closed the access to the videos which was announced on the morning of 20 February[4.5].

It seems that the management inside the ship didn’t have even the minimum expertise according to his leak. It’s risky to put absolute reliance on just his inside report, but if these are entirely true, the spread of virus isn’t being prevented in the minimum level. How Japan take approach to Coronavirus is not a matter just related to Japan, I think as everyone knows, it put other countries at risk if Japan doesn’t take the best measure.

Among his explanations, shockingly he mentioned, in an interview with BBC[5], on the disembarkment and “the use of test” (because people who were permitted to go home were tested negative[6]) that the use of the test is misunderstood and “it is scientifically wrong and logically wrong”. The inside management should be examined more in detail with high transparency and disclosure of information.

2. On the epidemic and the world

As far as I looked at what’s been happening by the epidemic of coronavirus, it is chaotic and tragic.

11 March: WHO Director General announced that COVID-19 is the first case of coronavirus pandemic[6.4].

Then the center of rising confirmed cases moved to Europe[6.4.1].

29 March 2020: the total death in Italy reached 10,000[6.4.2].

30 March 2020: in worldwide level the number of total deaths went over 30,000[6.4.3].

Discrimination against Asians are often heard on media. And people are afraid of others, particularly those who cough in closed space, wondering whether they are infected by the virus.

According to CNN articles[6.5], a victim of discriminatory assault posted on Facebook that he was attacked “on 24 February” “in London” with photos of his injuries — the Singapore student heard “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country” which one of the men said in the attack.

#JeNeSuisPasUnVirus (I’m not a virus) is spread “on social media”[6.6].

As for the oncoming Olympics 2020, there’s concern on whether it could be held or not. One of the candidates for London mayor tweeted on 19 February that “London can host the #Olympics in 2020.”[7].

As coronavirus became pandemic and continuing to spread, Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics 2020 were decided to be postponed to the summer of 2021. Olympics will begin on 23 July, Paralympics 24 August according to the organizing committee on 30 March[8].

Many events graduation ceremonies and musicians’ concerts were canceled.

[1] Based on his twitter account. Available at https://twitter.com/georgebest1969 Accessed 19 February 2020.

[2] English version is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI Accessed 19 February 2020.

[3] Japanese version is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3X3RSmf7ds Accessed 19 February 2020.

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI around 4:06-4:13.

[4.5] Tweets of Kentaro Iwata that he closed the access to his videos. https://twitter.com/georgebest1969/status/1230243699092705280 Accessed 25 February 2020, https://twitter.com/georgebest1969/status/1230241394754670592 Accessed 25 February 2020.

[5] BBC News Japan. 感染症の専門家、客船内の感染対策を批判 BBCが独占取材. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NksCM2Kiwfw Published 19 February 2020. Accessed 19 February 2020.

[6] BBC. Coronavirus: Passengers leave Diamond Princess amid criticism of Japan. Available at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51555420 Published 19 February 2020. Accessed 19 February 2020. BBC News Japan. 感染症の専門家、客船内の感染対策を批判 BBCが独占取材. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NksCM2Kiwfw Published 19 February 2020. Accessed 19 February 2020.

[6.4] WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—11-march-2020 Published 11 March 2020, Accessed 4 April 2020.

[6.4.1] WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 13 March 2020. https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-mission-briefing-on-covid-19—13-march-2020 Published 13 March 2020, Accessed 4 April 2020.

[6.4.2] WHO. Situation Report – 69. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200329-sitrep-69-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=8d6620fa_8 Published 29 March 2020, Accessed 5 April 2020.

[6.4.3] WHO. Situation Report – 70. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200330-sitrep-70-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=7e0fe3f8_4 Published 30 March 2020 Accessed 5 April 2020.

[6.5] CNN. London police seek four men after ‘racist’ coronavirus attack on East Asian student. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/05/uk/coronavirus-racist-attack-police-intl-scli-gbr/ Uploaded 5 March 2020. Accessed 9 March 2020. CNN. East Asian student assaulted in ‘racist’ coronavirus attack in London. Available at https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/03/uk/coronavirus-assault-student-london-scli-intl-gbr/index.html. Uploaded 4 March 2020. Accessed 9 March 2020.

[6.6] Reuters. “Je ne suis pas un virus”: la communauté asiatique de France face à la peur de l’épidémie. https://fr.reuters.com/article/topNews/idFRKBN1ZU2SN Uploaded 1 February 2020. Accessed 10 March 2020.

[7] https://twitter.com/ShaunBaileyUK/status/1230111123476746241 Accessed 25 February 2020.

[8] NHK. 東京オリンピック７月23日開幕 パラは８月24日開幕で決定. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200330/k10012358491000.html Published 30 March 2020, Accessed 3 April 2020.