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Japanese man survived both Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs, lived to 93

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Yamaguchi was approximately three kilometers from ground zero in Hiroshima when the initial detonation inflicted severe burns, temporary blindness, and hearing impairment. After returning to his hometown of Nagasaki, he was caught in the second atomic blast while describing the previous explosion to his supervisor. Decades later, the loss of his son to cancer prompted him to publicly campaign for global disarmament, culminating in an address to the United Nations.

Key points

  • Decades of personal silence ended after the death of Yamaguchi's son motivated him to pur…: Decades of personal silence ended after the death of Yamaguchi's son motivated him to pursue public anti-nuclear advocacy.
  • His later activism included delivering a formal speech on nuclear disarmament at the Unit…: His later activism included delivering a formal speech on nuclear disarmament at the United Nations in 2006.
  • Despite enduring severe burns and permanent hearing damage, he built a post-war career as…: Despite enduring severe burns and permanent hearing damage, he built a post-war career as an engineer, interpreter, and teacher.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

On August 6, 1945, Tsutomu Yamaguchi was preparing to leave Hiroshima and return to his family in Nagasaki when a blinding flash lit up the sky. The 29-year-old engineer was on a business assignment for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, working on the design of oil tankers. Within seconds, the city was devastated by the world's first atomic bomb used in warfare. Yamaguchi was thrown into the air, temporarily lost his sight and hearing, and suffered severe burns across his upper body.

He managed to reach a railway station and spent the night in Hiroshima before making the journey back to Nagasaki. He had survived an atomic bombing and was finally home with his wife, Hisako, and their infant son. But the ordeal was far from over. Three days later, on August 9, as he reported for work and attempted to explain to his colleagues what he had witnessed, a second atomic bomb exploded over his hometown.

Yamaguchi was among the people caught in both attacks. He survived the Hiroshima bombing and then the Nagasaki bombing, becoming the only person officially recognised…

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