The Nobel Peace Prize awarded on Oct. 11 to nuclear bomb survivors known as “Hibakusha” brings back into focus a crucial issue: the persistent threat of nuclear warfare.
The Hibakusha who lived through the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have spent decades sharing their stories and their message is clear: the devastation of nuclear weapons must never be repeated. Yet, as the global landscape grows more tense, one must wonder, is the world truly listening?
Steven Okazaki, a third-generation Japanese American and Academy Award-winning filmmaker who has been my mentor for the past decade, has long dedicated his career to documenting the experiences of the Hibakusha.
His films such as “White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” give a voice to survivors who have lived through unimaginable trauma. Okazaki’s work goes beyond historical record; it serves as a bridge to the present, reminding us that these stories aren’t just memories; they are warnings.
Through intimate interviews and haunting archival footage, he captures the resilience and pain of those who lived through the atomic bombings, highlighting the deep, lasting scars that still endure.
The Nobel Prize awarded to these survivors isn’t just about recognizing their suffering; it’s a call to the world to confront the grim reality of nuclear weapons. Yet, despite the efforts of the Hibakusha and advocates like Okazaki, global stockpiles of nuclear weapons remain vast.
The fear of nuclear warfare, once thought to be a relic of the Cold War, is making an unsettling comeback. Tensions between nuclear powers such as the United States, Russia and China have been rising steadily.
The war in Ukraine has even brought the specter of nuclear conflict back into mainstream conversation. Meanwhile, in Asia, North Korea’s unpredictability and the volatile situation in Israel and Palestine add to the global sense of unease.
The nuclear threat is no longer a distant memory but a real and present concern.
Okazaki’s films are a stark reminder that the consequences of nuclear weapons are not abstract; they are devastatingly real. He has shown the world the physical and psychological toll that these weapons leave behind, using raw footage and survivor testimony to make clear that these scars never truly heal.
The stories of the Hibakusha reveal that nuclear weapons are not simply tools of deterrence; they are weapons of mass destruction with irreversible impacts. Forgetting their stories risks allowing history to repeat itself.
So, is nuclear warfare inevitable? It’s a troubling question that has no easy answer. History has shown that humanity often repeats its mistakes, sometimes out of a misplaced sense of invincibility or a desire for power.
Nuclear weapons come with a dangerous paradox: they are built to prevent war, yet their existence inherently increases the risk of catastrophic conflict. As long as these weapons exist, the threat for their use remains.
It is a gamble that the world has chosen to live with for over 75 years.
The Nobel Peace Prize and Okazaki’s films serve as both a tribute and a warning. They remind us that the Hibakusha are not just survivors of a past conflict; they are messengers, urging us to consider what kind of future we want.
The current state of affairs, with fragile alliances and shifting power dynamics, makes their message more important than ever. Are we committed to a world without nuclear weapons, or are we willing to continue living under the shadow of potential annihilation?
The path forward requires international cooperation, trust-building and a genuine commitment to disarmament — no small task in an era of rising nationalism and geopolitical competition. But the alternative is far worse if we fail to heed the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The world risks facing the same devastation again, with consequences that are impossible to fully grasp.
The Nobel Prize, paired with the stories of survivors preserved through Okazaki’s films, is a plea to remember the true cost of nuclear war. As global tensions rise, it’s more crucial than ever to listen to those who have witnessed the worst of what humanity is capable of.
The Nobel Prize committee’s message is clear: nuclear warfare might seem inevitable to some, but the future is still in our hands if we are willing to act with the wisdom and caution that history has taught us.
