Sumiteru Taniguchi facts for kids

Sumiteru Taniguchi (谷口 稜曄, Taniguchi Sumiteru, 26 January 1929 – 30 August 2017) was a brave survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki. He became a very important activist. He worked hard for a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. He also led the Nagasaki Council of A-Bomb Sufferers.

Early Life in Japan

Sumiteru Taniguchi was born in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1929. His mother passed away when he was only one and a half years old. After this, his father moved for work. He became a train operator in Manchuria. Sumiteru and his two brothers went to live with their mother's family. They were raised by their aunt in Nagasaki.

In early 1943, Sumiteru started working. He was a mail carrier for the Nishiura-Kami post office in Nagasaki. He continued this job into 1945. This was the year the atomic bomb exploded.

The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki

On the morning of August 9, 1945, Sumiteru was 16 years old. He was about 1,800 meters (about 1.1 miles) north of where the bomb would explode. He was delivering mail on his bicycle. It was a warm summer day, so he was not wearing a shirt.

Suddenly, the "Fat Man" bomb exploded in the sky over Urakami. The bomb's heat flash badly burned Sumiteru right away. But the powerful blast that followed did not hurt him severely. He held onto the ground as buildings around him were destroyed.

The intense heat melted skin from his back and left arm. Sumiteru later said he did not bleed or feel pain. This was because his nerve endings were burned away. Feeling tired and confused, he walked to a nearby tunnel. This tunnel was part of the Mitsubishi Sumiyoshi Tunnel Arms Factory. It was about 200 meters (about 650 feet) away. A woman who also survived helped him there. She cut off loose skin and put machine oil on his injured arm.

Long Road to Recovery

As night came, Sumiteru was carried to a hill to rest. He was surrounded by other survivors. They were confused and very thirsty. The next morning, everyone around him had died except for Sumiteru. For the next two days, rescue teams passed by. But they did not see him. He was too weak to call for help.

Finally, Sumiteru was rescued on August 11. He was taken to a small clinic in the countryside. This clinic was about 29 kilometers (18 miles) from Nagasaki. By mid-September, he was moved to a school clinic in Nagasaki. There, he received his first medical treatments. But the clinic was not clean. His wounds became infected and got worse.

In November, Sumiteru was moved to Omura Navy Hospital. He stayed there for 21 months. He had to lie on his stomach the whole time. This was because of the very bad third-degree burns on his back. During this time, he also got severe bedsores on his chest. He remembered that "holes opened between my ribs." He could even see his heart and other organs moving through his skin.

In October 1945, a U.S. Marine photographer named Joe O'Donnell took a picture of Sumiteru's back. He was recording the damage after the bombing. This photograph is now shown in museums. It is a powerful image of the injuries survivors faced.

By May 1947, Sumiteru could finally sit up. On March 20, 1949, he left the Omura hospital. He went back to work at the post office in Nagasaki soon after. Doctors had told him he might not be able to. He still needed medical treatment. His wounds were not properly treated until 1960. They continued to cause him great physical pain until he died. The burns did not heal correctly. Also, the effects of radiation exposure caused many burn keloid tumors to grow.

From 2007 until his death, Sumiteru had ten surgeries. These were to remove harmless growths. He also had many skin grafting surgeries on his back and left arm.

A Voice for Peace

Sumiteru Taniguchi dedicated his life to teaching people. He wanted everyone to understand the terrible results of the 1945 atomic bombing. He also campaigned against the spread of nuclear weapons. He often spoke in public to student groups. He also joined protests calling for nuclear disarmament.

Sumiteru gave many interviews. He shared his experiences. He was also featured in a 2007 documentary. It was called White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Later Life and Passing

Sumiteru Taniguchi passed away on August 30, 2017. He was 88 years old. He died in Nagasaki from a type of cancer called duodenal papilla cancer.

See also

In Spanish: Sumiteru Taniguchi para niños

• Hibakusha
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons - Preamble