Tsutomu Yamaguchi

Tsutomu Yamaguchi ( 山口 彊 , Yamaguchi Tsutomu) (16 March

Tsutomu Yamaguchi
1916 – 4 January 2010) was a Japanese marine engineer and a
survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings 山口 彊
during World War II. Although at least 70 people are known to
have been affected by both bombings,[1] he is the only person to
have been officially recognized by the government of Japan as
surviving both explosions.[2]

A resident of Nagasaki, Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on business

for his employer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries when the city was
bombed at 8:15 AM, on 6 August 1945. He returned to Nagasaki Tsutomu Yamaguchi in 2009
the following day and, despite his wounds, he returned to work on
Born 16 March 1916
9 August, the day of the second atomic bombing. That morning,
while he was being told by his supervisor that he was "crazy" after Nagasaki, Empire of
describing how one bomb had destroyed the city, the Nagasaki Japan
bomb detonated.[3] In 1957, he was recognized as a hibakusha Died 4 January 2010
("explosion-affected person") of the Nagasaki bombing, but it was (aged 93)
not until 24 March 2009, that the government of Japan officially Nagasaki, Japan
recognized his presence in Hiroshima three days earlier. He died of
Occupation Engineer
stomach cancer on 4 January 2010, at the age of 93.
Employer Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries
Early life
Known for Hibakusha of both
Yamaguchi was born on 16 March 1916 in Nagasaki. He joined the atomic bombings
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the 1930s and worked as a of Hiroshima and
draftsman designing oil tankers.[4] Nagasaki
Movement Nuclear disarmament
Second World War Spouse Hisako (died 2008)
Children 3
Yamaguchi said he "never thought Japan should start a war". He
continued his work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, but soon
Japanese industry began to suffer heavily as resources became scarce and tankers were sunk.[4] As the war
dragged on, he was so despondent over the state of the country that he considered honor killing his family
with an overdose of sleeping pills in the event that Japan lost.[4]

Hiroshima bombing

Yamaguchi lived and worked in Nagasaki, but in the summer of 1945 he was in Hiroshima for a three-
month-long business trip.[4] On 6 August, he was preparing to leave the city with two colleagues, Akira
Iwanaga and Kuniyoshi Sato, and was on his way to the train station when he realized he had forgotten his
hanko (a type of identification stamp common in Japan) and returned to his workplace to get it.[5][6] At 8:15
AM, he was walking towards the docks when the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the Little
Boy atomic bomb near the centre of the city, only 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away.[4][7] Yamaguchi recalls
seeing the bomber and two small parachutes, before there was "a great flash in the sky, and I was blown
over".[6] The explosion ruptured his eardrums, blinded him temporarily, and left him with serious radiation
burns over the left side of the top half of his body. After recovering, he crawled to a shelter and, having
rested, he set out to find his colleagues.[6] They had also survived and together they spent the night in an
air-raid shelter before returning to Nagasaki the following day.[5][6] In Nagasaki, he received treatment for
his wounds and, despite being heavily bandaged, he reported for work on 9 August.[4][8]

Nagasaki bombing

At 11:00 AM on 9 August 1945, Yamaguchi was describing the blast in Hiroshima to his supervisor, when
the American bomber Bockscar dropped the Fat Man atomic bomb over the city. His workplace again put
him 3 km from ground zero, but this time he was unhurt by the explosion.[7] However, he was unable to
replace his now ruined bandages and he suffered from a high fever and continuous vomiting for over a
week.[4]

Later life
During the Allied occupation of Japan, Yamaguchi worked as a translator for the occupation forces. In the
early 1950s, he and his wife, who was also a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing, had two daughters.
He later returned to work for Mitsubishi designing oil tankers.[4] When the Japanese government officially
recognized atomic bombing survivors as hibakusha in 1957, Yamaguchi's identification stated only that he
had been present at Nagasaki. He was content with this, satisfied that he was relatively healthy, and put the
experiences behind him.[7]

As he grew older, his opinions about the use of atomic weapons began to change. In his eighties, he wrote
a book about his experiences (Ikasareteiru inochi (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/261349783) ("A Life
Well-Lived")), as well as a book of poetry,[9] and was invited to take part in a 2006 documentary about 165
double A-bomb survivors (known as nijū hibakusha in Japan) called Twice Survived: The Doubly Atomic
Bombed of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which was screened at the United Nations.[10] At the screening, he
pleaded for the abolition of atomic weapons.[7]

Yamaguchi became a vocal proponent of nuclear disarmament.[11] He told an interviewer "The reason that
I hate the atomic bomb is because of what it does to the dignity of human beings".[11] Speaking through his
daughter during a telephone interview, he said, "I can't understand why the world cannot understand the
agony of the nuclear bombs. How can they keep developing these weapons?"[7]

On 22 December 2009, Canadian film director James Cameron and author Charles Pellegrino met
Yamaguchi while he was in a hospital in Nagasaki and discussed the idea of making a film about nuclear
weapons. "I think it's Cameron's and Pellegrino's destiny to make a film about nuclear weapons",
Yamaguchi said.[12]

Recognition by government

At first, Yamaguchi did not feel the need to draw attention to his double survivor status.[7] However, in later
life he began to consider his survival as destiny, so in January 2009, he applied for double recognition.[7]
This was accepted by the Japanese government in March 2009, making Yamaguchi the only person
officially recognized as a survivor of both bombings.[4][7] Speaking of the recognition, he said, "My double
radiation exposure is now an official government record. It can tell the younger generation the horrifying
history of the atomic bombings even after I die".[13]

Personal life
Yamaguchi was married to his wife Hisako (1920–2008),[14] and had three children. Their children, all of
whom experienced serious health problems throughout their lives, were son Katsutoshi (1946–2005), and
daughters Toshiko (born 1948/1949) and Naoko. Yamaguchi's wife, also a survivor of the atomic bombing
of Nagasaki, died in 2008 at the age of eighty-eight; her cause of death was liver and kidney cancer, likely
related to health complications from the atomic bombing that she had experienced her entire life. At the time
of his death, Yamaguchi was living with his daughter Toshiko in Nagasaki.[7]

Health

Yamaguchi lost hearing in his left ear as a result of the Hiroshima explosion. He also went bald temporarily
and his daughter recalls that he was constantly wrapped in bandages until she was 12.[7][Note 1] Despite
this, Yamaguchi went on to lead a healthy life.[7] Later in life, he began to suffer from radiation-related
ailments, including cataracts and acute leukemia.[15]

His wife also suffered radiation poisoning from black rain exposure after the Nagasaki explosion and died
in 2008 at the age of eighty-eight of kidney and liver cancer. All three of their children reported suffering
from health problems, which they blamed on their parents' exposures to radiation.[7][16]

Death
In 2009, Yamaguchi learned that he was dying of stomach cancer.[7] He died on 4 January 2010, in
Nagasaki at the age of 93.[5][17][18][19][20]

In popular culture

BBC controversy

On 17 December 2010, the BBC featured Yamaguchi in its comedy programme QI, referring to him as
"The Unluckiest Man in the World".[21] Both Stephen Fry, the host of QI, and celebrity guests drew
laughter from the audience in a segment that included examples of black humor such as asking if the bomb
had "landed on him and bounced off".[22] A clip from the episode was uploaded by the BBC after the
show but was later deleted. A BBC spokesperson told Kyodo News, "We instructed our crew to delete the
file since we have already issued a statement that the content was not appropriate".[23]

The episode triggered criticism in Japan. Toshiko Yamasaki, Yamaguchi's daughter, appeared on NHK's
national evening news and said: "I cannot forgive the atomic bomb experience being laughed at in Britain,
which has nuclear weapons of its own. I think this shows that the horror of atomic bomb is not well enough
understood in the world. I feel sad rather than angry".[24]

The Japanese Embassy, London, wrote to the BBC protesting that the programme insulted the deceased
victims of the atomic bomb. It was reported that Piers Fletcher, a producer of the programme, responded to
complaints with "we greatly regret it when we cause offence" and "it is apparent to me that I
underestimated the potential sensitivity of this issue to Japanese viewers".[25]

On 22 January 2011, the BBC and Talkback Thames jointly issued a statement.[26] In addition to the joint
statement, the BBC delivered a letter from Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, to the Japanese
Embassy.[27]

See also
Effects of nuclear explosions
Effects of nuclear explosions on human health
Jacob Beser, the only member of the strike crews for both Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Notes
1. Toshiko Yamaguchi was 60 in March 2009 and would have been 12 in 1960 or 1961.[7]

References
1. 広島・長崎で２度被爆、約１６０人 広島祈念館が調査 [160 Double A-bomb Survivors
Found, Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims says.]. Asahi
Shimbun (in Japanese). 1 August 2005. "広島、長崎への原爆投下後、両市で２度被爆した
可能性のある人が少なくとも約１６０人にのぼることが、国立広島原爆死没者追悼平和祈
念館（広島市）の調査で明らかになった。"
2. "Double atomic bomb survivor dies in Japan" (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34722073).
Tokyo: NBC News. Associated Press. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
"Tsutomu Yamaguchi, the only person officially recognized as a survivor of both the
Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings at the end of World War II, has died at age 93."
3. Survivor's story (ABC News, Australia, uploaded 2010Jan6) (https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=9_VsNZl6LGU&t=1m6s)
4. "Tsutomu Yamaguchi" (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/6943088/Tsutomu-Yam
aguchi.html). The Daily Telegraph. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
5. McCurry, Justin (25 March 2009). "A little deaf in one ear – meet the Japanese man who
survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/25/hiroshi
ma-nagasaki-survivor-japan). The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 January 2010.
6. Lloyd Parry, Richard (25 March 2009). "The luckiest or unluckiest man in the world?
Tsutomu Yamaguchi, double A-bomb victim" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140921181444/
https://blogs.thetimes.co.uk/section/asia-exile/20579/the-luckiest-or-unluckiest-man-in-the-w
orld-tsutomu-yamaguchi-double-a-bomb-victim/). The Times. Archived from the original (http
s://blogs.thetimes.co.uk/section/asia-exile/20579/the-luckiest-or-unluckiest-man-in-the-world
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7. McNeill, David (26 March 2009). "How I survived Hiroshima – and then Nagasaki" (https://w
ww.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/how-i-survived-hiroshima-ndash-and-then-nagasaki
-1654294.html). The Independent. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
8. "Mr Yamaguchi" (http://www.vaguedirection.com/mr-yamaguchi/). www.vaguedirection.com.
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 9. Diehl, Chad; Yamaguchi, Tsutomu (2010). And the river flowed as a raft of corpses: the
poetry of Yamaguchi Tsutomu : survivor of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki (https://www.worldc
at.org/oclc/691426162). New York: Excogitating over Coffee Pub. ISBN 978-1-4507-1297-2.
OCLC 691426162 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/691426162).
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(http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/06/08/twicesurvived.html). Columbia University. 2 August
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on Hiroshima and Nagasaki". Military History Magazine. Wieder History Group. 26 (5): 8.
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e.org/web/20100108062545/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_15233
51.php/James-Cameron-meets-Japanese-atomic-bomb-survivor-to-discuss-film). Splash
News. 5 January 2010. Archived from the original (http://www.monstersandcritics.com/peopl
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cuss-film) on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
13. "Japanese man is a double A-bomb survivor" (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29865222). NBC
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14. Krulwich, Robert (18 July 2012). "If You Are Hit By Two Atomic Bombs, Should You Have
Kids?" (https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2012/07/17/156915881/if-you-are-hit-by-two-at
omic-bombs-should-you-have-kids#:~:text=destroy%20a%20whole%20city%3F%27,two%2
0girls%2C%20Naoko%20and%20Toshiko.). NPR. Retrieved 1 August 2023. "Shall We
Have Children? ... But by the early 1950's, Yamaguchi and his wife Hisako felt strong
enough to try, and the early 50s, they had two girls, Naoko and Toshiko."
15. McCurry, Justin (6 January 2010). "Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivor dies aged 93" (https://
www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/06/hiroshima-nagasaki-survivor-dies). The Guardian.
London. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
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17. Richard Lloyd Parry (7 January 2010). "Tsutomu Yamaguchi, victim of Japan's two atomic
bombs, dies aged 93" (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6978319.ec
e). The Times.
18.阿部弘賢 宮下正己 ; 山口彊さん死去：「 月 、 日は命日」 「青き地球」
(6 January 2010). 8 6 9
と短歌に思い 毎
(http://mainichi.jp/select/wadai/news/20100106ddm041040050000c.html).
日 jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 January 2010. "Mainichi Shimbun"
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8443295.stm). BBC News. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
20. "Double Atomic Bomb Survivor Dies in Japan" (https://web.archive.org/web/2010010703423
2/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/world/asia/07yamaguchi.html). The New York Times.
6 January 2010. Archived from the original (https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/world/asia/
07yamaguchi.html) on 7 January 2010.
21. BBC (13 December 2010). "The Unluckiest Man in the World" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/comed
y/clips/p00cqcrb/qi_the_unluckiest_man_in_the_world/). Retrieved 21 January 2011.
22. Gavin J. Blair (24 January 2011). "BBC Apologizes for Atomic Bomb Jokes" (http://www.holly
woodreporter.com/news/bbc-apologizes-atomic-bomb-jokes-74916). The Hollywood
Reporter. Tokyo. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
23. 二重被爆者に「世界一運が悪い男」発言、英ＢＢＣがネット映像やっと削除 (https://web.ar
chive.org/web/20110128025653/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/110125/erp11012507
100025-n1.htm) [BBC Finally Deletes the Video Clip]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). The
Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital. Kyodo News. 24 January 2011. Archived from the original
(https://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/110125/erp11012507100025-n1.htm) on 28 January
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24. Richard Lloyd Parry (22 January 2011). "BBC sorry for jokes about atom bomb survivor" (htt
p://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/bbc-sorry-for-jokes-about-atom-bomb-survivo
r/story-e6frg996-1225992837549). The Times. London: The Australian. Retrieved
22 January 2011.
25. "Japan protests to BBC over treatment of 'double A-bomb survivor' " (http://japantoday.com/c
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Kyodo News. London: Japan Today. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
26. "BBC offers apology about 'double A-bomb survivor' " (https://web.archive.org/web/2011012
3183825/http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110122p2g00m0dm014000c.html).
London: Mainichi Shimbun. Kyodo News. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original (http://
mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110122p2g00m0dm014000c.html) on 23 January 2011.
Retrieved 22 January 2011. "QI never sets out to cause offence with any of the people or
subjects it covers, however on this occasion, given the sensitivity of the subject matter for
Japanese viewers, we understand why they did not feel it appropriate for inclusion"
27. 伊東和貴 (25 January 2011). "BBC 、日本大使館に謝罪の書簡 二重被爆者笑った放送 " (htt
p://www.asahi.com/international/update/0125/TKY201101250107.html) [BBC Sends
Apology Letter to Japanese Embassy for Its Program Laughed at Double A-bomb Survivor].
在英日本大使館は
Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). London. Retrieved 25 January 2011. " 24
日、 から陳謝の意を表す書簡を受け取った。大使館によると、書簡は のトンプソ
BBC BBC
ン会長名で 日付。日本人視聴者らの気分を害したことを陳謝する内容だったという。
21 "

External links
Nagasaki University Peace Studies Archives June 2011 YAMASAKI, Toshiko and
HARADA, Kosuzu "Living with a double A-bomb survivor" (in English and Japanese) (http://
naosite.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/dspace/handle/10069/25531) Archived (https://web.archive.org/
web/20160108224505/http://naosite.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/dspace/handle/10069/25531) 8
January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
YAMAGUCHI, Tsutomu "Double A-Bomb Victim: My Life beneath the Atomic Clouds" 2007
(http://hdl.handle.net/10069/33740)

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