Terumi Tanaka

{{Infobox person

| name = Terumi Tanaka

| image = Terumi Tanaka at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony Oslo 2024-61445 (cropped).jpg

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| caption = Tanaka at 2024 Nobel Week

| native_name = 田中煕巳

| native_name_lang = Japanese

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1932|4|29|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Manchukuo

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| nationality = Japanese

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| alma_mater = Tokyo University of Science

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| organization = Nihon Hidankyo

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{{nihongo|Terumi Tanaka|田中煕巳|Tanaka Terumi|born 29 April 1932}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=YZk4AAAAIAAJ&q=terumi+tanaka+1932 Profile of Terumi Tanaka] is a Japanese anti-nuclear and anti-war activist and former professor. He is a hibakusha, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, and is the secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, a Japan-wide organisation of atomic and hydrogen bomb sufferers.Nihon Hidankyo website [http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hidankyo/nihon/english/about/about1-01.html About Us] Retrieved August 5, 2016 He lives in Niiza, Saitama.

On October 11, 2024, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), to which they belong as a representative, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.[https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOCB07B700X01C24A0000000/ Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Japan Hidankyo for efforts toward a nuclear-free world] Nikkei, October 11, 2024

Early life

He was born on 29 April 1932 in Manchuria in China, which was then under Japanese occupation as the puppet state of Manchukuo. He later moved to Nagasaki.

Atomic bombing of Nagasaki

Tanaka was 13 years old when Nagasaki was bombed, and his home was around 3.2 kilometres from the hypocenter. He was blown through several panes of glass but did not suffer major injuries. He lost his grandfather, two uncles, an aunt, and a cousin in the bombing. He personally cremated his aunt in a nearby field after she died several days after the bombing.Tanaka, Terumi [http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hidankyo/nihon/rn_page/english/index_english/news/news.html#anchor-08.5.5-1 Appeal of the Hibakusha] Retrieved August 3, 2016

Postwar career

He was an associate professor in the school of engineering at Tohoku University.Fujimura, Junpei [http://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/mediacenter/article.php?story=20130318141526221_en Interview with Terumi Tanaka, head of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, on nuclear disarmament conference in Oslo March 25, 2016]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Retrieved August 2, 2016

Activism

File:Hibakusha.jpg building in Vienna, during the NPT PrepCom 2007.]]

Tanaka has been involved with hibakusha activism since 1974, and he became secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations in 2000.[https://peaceboat.org/english/content/documents/profiles-ENG-WEB.pdf Peace Boat 2014] Retrieved August 3, 2016

Tanaka has called upon the U.S. to offer an apology for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Elaine Lies, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-obama-hiroshima-survivors/atomic-bomb-survivors-obama-apology-nice-but-priority-is-disarmament-idUSKCN0YA0MJ Atomic bomb survivors: Obama apology nice, but priority is disarmament], Reuters (May 19, 2016). He advocates for nuclear disarmament and holds that the use of nuclear weapons is never justified.Tanaka, Terumi [http://www10.plala.or.jp/antiatom/en/WC/e00wc/ei-tanaka.htm 2000 World Conference against A & H Bombs Speech] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914103312/http://www10.plala.or.jp/antiatom/en/WC/e00wc/ei-tanaka.htm |date=2016-09-14 }} Retrieved August 3, 2016Tanaka, Terumi [https://www.regjeringen.no/globalassets/upload/ud/vedlegg/hum/hum_japan.pdf Speech] Retrieved August 3, 2016Shibata, Mari [http://motherboard.vice.com/read/japans-last-a-bomb-survivors-push-to-eliminate-nuclear-weapons Japan's Last A-Bomb Survivors Push to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons August 6, 2015] Retrieved August 3, 2016 He has also condemned North Korean nuclear tests.[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/01/06/national/bomb-survivors-families-abductees-condemn-north-koreas-nuclear-test/#.V6GS2-mIJIB A-bomb survivors, families of abductees condemn North Korea’s nuclear test January 6, 2016] Japan Times Retrieved August 3, 2016

He has also spoken out against discrimination against atomic bomb survivors and their descendants.Aoki, Mizuho [http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/09/national/fukushima-activist-fights-fear-and-discrimination-based-on-radiation/#.V6GWxyN95O0 Fukushima activist fights fear and discrimination based on radiation May 9, 2013] Japan Times Retrieved August 3, 2016File:Terumi Tanaka at 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony 3 (cropped).jpg Ceremony in Oslo, Norway]]After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Tanaka and Hidankyo called for the decommissioning of reactors that had already been shut down.[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/08/07/national/hibakusha-turn-against-nuke-power/ Hibakusha turn against nuke power August 7, 2011] Japan Times Retrieved August 3, 2016

Along with other atomic bomb survivors Tanaka attended the May 2016 speech of US President Barack Obama in Hiroshima, responding positively[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/28/national/hibakusha-rate-obamas-hiroshima-speech-highly/#.V6GUaiN95O0 Hibakusha rate Obama’s Hiroshima speech highly May 28, 2016] Japan Times Retrieved August 3, 2016 and praising it as being "wonderful", although he regretted that Obama had not been able to make progress towards a nuclear free world.Rich, Makoto [https://www.nytimes.com/live/president-obama-hiroshima-japan/survivors/ President Obama Visits Hiroshima May 27, 2016] New York Times Retrieved August 3, 2016 After reading a translation of the speech and fully understanding the contents, he regretted praising the speech, stating that Obama's abstract language such as "Death fell from the sky" was unacceptable, given the bombing was a deliberate act by the US.[http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160802/p2a/00m/0na/018000c Hibakusha: A-bomb sufferers' group official regrets praising Obama speech August 2, 2016] Mainichi Shimbun Retrieved August 3, 2016[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/17/national/social-issues/hibakusha-group-hits-obama-hiroshima-speech-says-avoided-responsibility/#.V6GTi66_ayh Hibakusha group says Obama Hiroshima speech ‘avoided responsibility’ Jun 17, 2016] Japan Times Retrieved August 3, 2016

In January 2017 he announced that he would retire in June at the Nikon Hidankyo General Meeting.[http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170208/p2a/00m/0na/015000c Hibakusha: A-bomb survivors reflect on notion of 'amicable settlement' March 8, 2017] Mainichi Shimbun March 8, 2017