The two U.S. atomic bombs that killed and injured half a million people in Japan 65 years ago continue to haunt new generations, concerned that they may have inherited genes altered by the radiation.
Katsuhiro Hirano is one of hundreds of thousands of descendants of the"hibakusha", the name given to the survivors of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (west), where more than 200,000 people were killed on the spot or in the months that followed. " All those who belong to the second generation of 'hibakusha' have the same fear: to discover cancer at any moment," explains Mr. Hirano, 52, whose mother, now deceased, miraculously survived the destruction of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, in the last days of World War II. Some 240,000 people are officially recognized as "hibakusha", which provides them with free medical care, but many others suffering from blast-related illnesses claim this status...
(©AFP / November 12, 2010 08h25)
HIBAKUSHAS
An elderly woman sitting on a chair in a leafy park, wearing a colorful hat, glasses and a black outfit.
An elderly man wearing a casual suit, standing in a bright, modern hallway, looking to the right with a relaxed posture.
A man and a woman sitting side by side on a sofa in a room, looking towards the camera.
A woman wearing a white baseball jersey with the word "Care" in red, number 5, stands on a bridge outside a baseball stadium. The sky is sunny with a few clouds, and there are billboards and street lamps in the background.
Woman wearing a white baseball jersey with the word 'Hiroshima' in red, under a clear blue sky.
An elderly man sits alone on a wooden bench on the roof of an urban building. The background shows a concrete wall and air-conditioning units.
A woman standing in the center of an interior covered passageway, wearing a beige dress, rolled-up jeans and light gray shoes, in a bright environment.
An elderly man in formal attire standing in a green park with trees and a path in the background.
An elderly woman sits on a black leather armchair in a narrow corridor, with a white wall to the right and a shop window to the left. She's wearing a patterned top and gray pants.
A man standing in a park with green trees in the background, wearing a black T-shirt with an anti-nuclear symbol and the words "No Nukes", a bag around his waist, and a gun beside him.
An elderly man sitting on a chair in a modern interior, natural light coming from a window on the left, dark background behind him.
An elderly woman sitting alone on a wooden bench in a green park, wearing a beige dress and metal boots.
An Asian woman holding a baby, smiling and laughing against a gray wall with white spots.
Two elderly women sitting on Japanese rugs in front of traditional sliding doors.
An elderly woman with short hair, sitting in a hallway, wearing a white T-shirt with a purple flower design, a black skirt, and beige socks, in a traditional Japanese home.
A woman standing in an urban park with green trees and buildings in the background.
A woman with a baby sitting on a bench on the roof of a building, with a man sitting on the other side, looking in opposite directions, in an urban environment.
An elderly woman standing on a cobblestone floor, wearing a long blue dress and black blazer, with a group of people and trees in the background.
An elderly man with glasses, wearing a checkered shirt, sits in a room with a wooden back and Micha panels. He looks directly at the camera with a serious expression.
A smiling woman holds a young child in her arms, both expressing joy.