The Silent Fallout Book Launches April, 2025

■ Working on German Subtitles ■

We’ve started working on German subtitles in preparation for Silent Fallout screenings in Europe starting next year.

That said, it’s just for the trailer so far—work on the full movie hasn’t begun yet.

Our goal is to finish the French and German subtitles by the end of the year!

■ Initialization: A Lesson from 40 Years Ago ■

Over 40 years ago, when I first became a kindergarten teacher, all new hires were required to attend an induction training session.

During that session, we were told to ask questions. So, I asked, "Why does a kindergarten exist?" My question was met with stifled laughter and quickly dismissed.

"Don’t ask such obvious things," they said.

Even as a rookie, I believed it was crucial to reset and reevaluate the fundamental purpose of early childhood education.

This belief in the importance of "initialization" persists with me to this day.

It applies not only to my role as an educator but also to my work in media.

For example, we should ask ourselves: "What is the purpose of television?"

At first glance, this may seem like a ridiculous question. But I believe it’s essential to reset our thinking and reevaluate.

By resetting over and over again, we can clarify our purpose.

This principle, I believe, applies to everything in life.

■ ABCC, Army Cemetery ■

Hijiyama, home to the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, is also the site of the ABCC (Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission), now known as the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF).

Just behind the ABCC lies the Army Cemetery. In 1946, the ABCC was established on what had been an army base, prompting the relocation of the base to its current location.

At the far end of the Army Cemetery, there are graves of French soldiers, offering a panoramic view of Hiroshima City.

The ABCC was founded in 1946 by order of U.S. President Harry Truman, shortly after the atomic bombings. Its purpose was not to provide treatment but to conduct long-term studies on the medical and biological late effects of atomic radiation exposure.

Many hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) who were suffering from the effects of the bomb were brought to the ABCC as subjects of these studies. The findings became crucial data for the development of nuclear weapons.

During the mid-1940s, as part of the Manhattan Project, human radiation experiments were conducted in the United States, including the injection of plutonium into American citizens.

This inhumane experimentation came to light in the 1980s thanks to Eileen Welsome, a rookie journalist at the Albuquerque Tribune. Her groundbreaking report prompted President Bill Clinton to establish an investigative committee. Clinton acknowledged the facts, issued an apology, and provided compensation to the victims.

While such experiments were conducted on U.S. citizens, the ABCC was simultaneously established in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making hibakusha the subjects of similar investigations.

This is an undeniable historical fact that must never be forgotten or repeated.

In 1975, the ABCC was reorganized into what is now the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF).

Today, from Hijiyama, alongside the Army Cemetery, the site quietly overlooks Hiroshima City.

Photo: The Backside of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Viewed from the Army Cemetery

■ Publishing Meeting ■

Today, I had a Zoom meeting regarding the publication.

The Silent Fallout book will be released in April!!!

Silent Fallout is designed to deliver its message even more powerfully when paired with the director's after-talk. The book itself is like a fusion of the film and the after-talk into one volume.

The book will also include many episodes from the North America tour in July and August.

There’s a lot to do, including confirming details with the people who appear in the book...!!!

During today’s meeting, I could really feel the editor’s passion for the project.

The editor was deeply moved after watching Silent Fallout and thought, "This has to be a book!"—and that’s how the decision to publish was made.

They are coordinating the creation of the book as the culmination of their life’s work.

I’m so grateful!!

I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of book it will become. Please look forward to it!