Nagasaki is important to the Portuguese because of its historical connection. Is there any memory of this Portuguese presence in the 16th and 17th centuries?
This year marks 480 years since the Portuguese arrived on the Japanese island of Tanegashima, marking the beginning of the historic exchange between Japan and Portugal. As for the exchange between Nagasaki Prefecture and Portugal, it began with the arrival of Portuguese ships in Hirado in 1550, and active exchanges have continued for many years since then. Christianity and various Western cultures were brought to Japan through exchange with Portugal, and many Portuguese-derived words are still used in Japan, such as kasutera (from the word castela, meaning Japanese sponge cake-based cake), kompeito (confectionery ; Japanese sweet made from sugar) and botan (bud), etc. Japan to do business, which represents a moment of entertainment for visitors and residents of this prefecture. The historical ties between Nagasaki and Portugal, dating back to the 16th century, are still alive in the daily lives of Nagasaki residents, and Portugal remains one of the most well-known foreign countries for its residents.
A few years ago I was at the Peace Memorial in Nagasaki. An impressive memorial, considering the destruction of August 9, 1945. Are those who visit Nagasaki today aware of the terrible life in the city at the end of World War II? What is the relationship of the residents themselves with the memory of the atomic bomb?
Nagasaki is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan and many people visit the city every year. About 700,000 people visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum each year (about 20% of whom are foreigners) to experience the reality of the atomic bombing and understand the devastation of Nagasaki caused by it. The memorial ceremony for the victims of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki is held every year on August 9, the day of the bombing of the city, to comfort the souls of the atomic bomb victims and pray for lasting world peace. At the time of the atomic bombing, the city of Nagasaki had a population of about 240 thousand; 18,409 houses were damaged, about a third of the total number of houses in the city, and by the end of the year 1945, 73,884 people died. the bomb. People who were exposed to the radiation of the atomic bombs (Hiroshima and Nagasaki), although sometimes not visible from the outside, there are cells that become damaged and the organs begin to malfunction. It turns out that even those who had no external injuries at the time of the bombing gradually showed adverse effects on their health, and many people later died. The memories of these atomic bombings are still deeply etched in the memory of the people of Nagasaki and we strive to build a world free of nuclear weapons, with a strong desire to make Nagasaki the last city victim of the atomic bomb. We hope that the Portuguese will visit Nagasaki, experience the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb 78 years ago and join us on the road to the abolition of nuclear weapons. We, the citizens of Nagasaki Prefecture, will continue to pass on the reality of the atomic bombings across generations and borders and call on the world to end nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
Hiroshima and then Nagasaki were the only cities to this day to fall victim to an atomic or atomic bomb. How do the Japanese see the issue of nuclear weapons?
Since Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the only cities to have suffered the tragedy of nuclear bombing during the war, many people are aware that nuclear weapons should be abolished from the point of view of their inhumanity. In particular, the elimination of nuclear weapons is the sincere aspiration of the bombed cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. On the other hand, we recognize within the international community that there are different perspectives and opinions on nuclear disarmament in different countries depending on the point of view of security and other issues. The “Hiroshima Vision” announced at the recent Hiroshima Summit reaffirmed that “Nuclear war will never be fought”, but at the same time clearly stated that “Nuclear weapons play a role for defense purposes”. Nagasaki, which was the target of an atomic bomb, recognizing the current difficult security environment, hopes that this summit will provide an opportunity not only for the G7 countries, but also for all countries in the world to take concrete measures to make significant progress in the ( stagnant) process of abolishing nuclear weapons in the international community. Since Nagasaki was hit by the atomic bomb, he will do everything he can to get the leaders and youth of other countries to visit the cities affected by the bomb, to convey to the world the reality of the atomic bombing and to improve human resources. , which will carry forward the will of the atomic bomb survivors and lead peace activities in the next generation.
At the recent G7 summit in Hiroshima, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a hot topic. What is your view on the possibility of nuclear war, which is too often talked about in this day and age?
Nagasaki Prefecture has called on the world to stop using and abolish nuclear weapons. In Europe, Russia has repeatedly hinted at the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, and in East Asia, North Korea is developing nuclear weapons and missiles, making the nuclear weapons situation increasingly tense worldwide. However, nuclear weapons, highly inhumane, should never again be used in any part of the world. We very much hope that a world without nuclear weapons will come about as soon as possible.
What is the most important message you want to convey during your visit to Portugal?
This year marks the 480th anniversary of the friendship between Japan and Portugal. I am very happy to be able to visit Portugal in such an important year for the people of both countries. Nagasaki Prefecture and Portugal are both located in the far west of the country and the continent and share the characteristic harbor with many hills. This is my first visit to Portugal and I noticed that the atmosphere of the city, with its trams and sidewalks, is similar to Nagasaki, which makes me feel a bit nostalgic despite being abroad. Our historical ties with Portugal, which began almost 500 years ago, have led to sister city exchanges, such as between Nagasaki (municipality) and Porto or between Omura and Sintra, among others, continuing active exchanges in areas such as culture and sports today . Through this visit I got to know the beauty of Portuguese cities and the friendliness of the Portuguese. I am now convinced that there are great opportunities to expand cooperation between Nagasaki Prefecture and Portugal. Despite the distance that separates us, I believe that if we can unite our desire to develop together, we can build stronger ties and create more cooperation in different areas. I look forward to this visit being an opportunity for the people of Nagasaki Prefecture and the people of Portugal to further deepen ties of friendship and expand areas of exchange. Come to our Nagasaki prefecture! We are waiting for you wholeheartedly!
Source: DN
