Living with Hiroshima

Former POWs taken by the Imperial Japanese Army

I was contacted by Ms. Hjordis Andersson, who was a missionary living in Hiroshima. She said, “Former British soldiers taken prisoner by the Imperial Japanese Army are visiting Japan accompanied by Ms. Keiko Homes. I was asked to officiate at their memorial service for the war dead in front of the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims.” She continued, “Because of the atrocities of the Imperial Japanese Army, British people’s sentiment toward Japan isn’t good. But this will be a good opportunity to make them aware that all countries at war are equally to blame. So, Keiko, tell them about HIROSHIMA.”

I had had my story translated into English to tell foreign people, so I decided to accept Ms. Andersson’s request. After learning that I would have only five minutes, I thought it would be more important to get HIROSHIMA across to them rather than my personal experience.

On November 2nd, 1998, the group of former POWs stood in a row in front of the Cenotaph. The service proceeded with Ms. Andersson’s officiation. Introduced by her, I stepped forward and stood before them. After introducing myself briefly, I read a Junichi Mizuno’s poem of Hiroshima, “Please Walk Quietly,” which was translated into English by Kazuko Ichikawa.

The poet asks people to walk quietly with care in Hiroshima where numerous people were killed. The poem seemed to come home to these visiting POWs’ hearts. So, wherever they were, they kindly walked quietly, whispering to each other, “Quietly, quietly with care…”

Ms. Keiko Homes was honored by Queen Elizabeth II for her distinguished deed of making efforts to comfort the former British POWs. “We have many Keikos here. Would all the Keikos pose in a row for a photo?” At the request of the press, Keiko Homes, another Keiko in the group and I stood in front of the camera. Keiko Homes said close to my ear, “The former British POWs believe that they are the ones who suffered most during World War II. You should come over to tell your story in the UK.” At her words, I felt she was very close to me though we first met each other on that day.

Former British POWs, their families and bereaved families (in front of the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims)