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Today, the Japanese Government decided to recommend "Visual archives of Hiroshima atomic bombing--Photographs and films in 1945" for inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) "Memory of the World," an international register of important records in world history. This documentation contains 1532 photographs and 2 video recordings taken in 1945 after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
RCC Broadcasting Co., Ltd., along with City of Hiroshima, the Chugoku Shimbun Co., Ltd., the Asahi Shimbun Company, the Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., and Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), submitted a request for recommendation to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), which is responsible for domestic reviews of "Memory of the World" and recommendations to UNESCO.

[Documentary film shot with scientific survey (110 minutes)]

One of the included videos is the "Documentary film shot with scientific survey," recorded by Japan Film staff who accompanied the "Special Committee for the Investigation of A-bomb Damages" in support from late September to October, 1945. Filming in Hiroshima, which took about a month, captured the damaged condition of the city, including areas near the hypocenter. At the Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital, one of the main filming locations, women receiving treatment for external wounds and burns were filmed, as were children who had lost their hair due to the acute effects of radiation (left photo).

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This film was shot by Nippon Eigasha (Japan Movie. Co) and kept in Japan by the company's staff. Nippon Eigasha originally took the footage to produce a scientific "atomic bomb documentary film" based on an academic investigation. In April 1946, an English version of the film was completed, and the edited film and negatives were sent to the US. However, Nippon Eigasha staff secretly kept unedited film (this film) at a film laboratory in Tokyo. Later, in 1995, TBS and RCC revealed the existence of this film and reported on it in a feature program. RCC also became involved in the film's management while building collaborative relationships with both Nippon Eiga Shinsha, which inherited the film's rights when Nippon Eigasha reorganized, and with Nichiei Eizo Ltd., which inherited Nippon Eiga Shinsha's rights in 2009. Following the formation of a project team and investigation of the people and places captured in the film, its value as a historical source was further enhanced. In addition, efforts have been made to increase the resolution of the video images via high definition (HD) and 4K, and the footage has been transmitted through various program productions. RCC received the film from owner Nichiei Eizo Ltd. as a gift, but donated the film in 2013 to the National Film Archive of Japan for long-term preservation. About 80 minutes of the edited film sent to the US contained video images from Hiroshima. This film runs for about 110 minutes, allowing viewers to see scenes not included in the edited film.
The request for recommendation has been submitted with the approval and cooperation of both Nichiei Eizo, which was involved in preserving this video resource, and the National Film Archive of Japan, its current owner.

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[Comment by RCC President Yoshimi Miyasako]

"Scenes of suffering bomb victims and a city reduced to ashes were filmed by a Japanese crew. Documentary film shot with scientific survey, the film just approved for recommendation, shows conditions at the time. With bomb survivors getting older, making it harder to tell of their experiences, it is a valuable resource. Having now been recommended by the Japanese Government, it is a step closer to being included in the Memory of the World. By having these recommended photos and video images available to even more people, we hope this will provide a boost toward achieving a nuclear-weapons-free world. While continuing to aim for registration in Memory of the World, we will promote the effective use of this resource."

[Access to "Documentary film shot with scientific survey"]

◎ Commissioned by the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, an affiliate of the City of Hiroshima, Nippon Eiga Shinsha edited and produced "Record of Scorched Earth" based on this resource. It is available for viewing at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
◎ RCC Broadcasting has produced programs such as "Memories of Hiroshima," which can be accessed via DVD and its website.
• "Memories of Hiroshima" information page    https://rcc.jp/peace/kioku/
• "Memories of Hiroshima" DVD information page    https://shop.rcc.jp/products/detail/4

[Overview of " Visual archives of Hiroshima atomic bombing--Photographs and films in 1945"
(1532 photos and 2 videos)]

Requested for recommendation jointly by six parties, "Visual archives of Hiroshima atomic bombing--Photographs and films in 1945" contains 1532 photos taken by 27 Japanese and 1 agency, and 2 videos filmed by 1 organization, from August 6 (the day of the bombing) to the end of December, 1945. From turning a city to ruins, to seriously burning bomb victims, to adversely affecting human health through radiation, the wide-ranging effects of nuclear weapons have been recorded and much related information is used in exhibits at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
Requested by: The City of Hiroshima, the Chugoku Shimbun Co., Ltd. (Office), the Asahi Shimbun Company, the Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., RCC Broadcasting Co., Ltd., Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK)
Resource name: A Record of the Hiroshima Atomic Bombing in Photographs and Video Images
Requested items: 1532 photos (taken by 27 persons and 1 agency) and 2 videos (filmed by 1 organization)
Form of resource: Photo negative film, print, glass plate, video positive film
Period of filming: August 6 to end of December, 1945
Registration approval/disapproval by the UNESCO Executive Board is expected by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the bombing.

[Memory of the World]

"Memory of the World" is the name of a program launched by UNESCO in 1992 to heighten awareness of globally important records and promote their preservation and access.

Who to contact:
Yasuhide Kobayashi
Manager of News Department
RCC BROADCASTING CO., LTD.
Tel: +81-82-222-1132
Email: koho@rcc.co.jp

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