A group of hibakusha from Tokyo visited the graves to share news of the Nobel Peace Prize

A group of hibakusha who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 visited the graves of deceased hibakusha in Tokyo on Sunday.

They came to share the news that Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese organization representing hibakusha, had received this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

About 20 people paid their respects at the cemetery where the remains of hibakusha are buried without relatives. The main organizer of the event was Toyukai, an organization of atomic bomb survivors living in Tokyo.

One of the participants was Ieshima Masashi, the representative director of the group, who is also a senior member of the Nihon Hidankyo.

Ieshima said he believes receiving the award is proof that the testimony and efforts of his predecessors in advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons have been recognized.

He also said that he was grateful to Nihon Hidankyo for winning it while he was still alive. Ieshima vowed to continue dedicating his life to the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Participants laid flowers at the graves and reaffirmed their pledge to work toward the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The memorial event is held every year, but organizers say the event planned for next year is expected to be the last due to the advanced age of the survivors and the smaller number of people in attendance.

A Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor said she was glad the hibakusha’s work was being recognized as they tried to tell people how terrible and cruel the atomic bombings were.

She added that she believed most young people may not be aware of the bombings and hoped the award would be an opportunity to spread awareness.