Peace Cranes Exhibition Opening speech

令和3年8月20日
Lord Provost, esteemed guests, ladies and gentleman.

My name is Nozomu Takaoka, the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh.

On the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city of Hiroshima, I would like to express my sincere condolences to the souls of the great number of atomic bomb victims. I also extend my heartfelt sympathy to those still suffering even now from the aftereffects of the atomic bomb.

I believe many of you attending this Peace Crane Installation Ceremony are already familiar with the tragic story of Sadako. I met Sadako’s former friend, now a medical doctor heading a world class cancer facility in Texas. This doctor told me of her story when I visited her facility some years ago.

She said that she and Sadako were good friends and happily went to school together until the age of 10. She said Sadako was an athletic girl, who ran much faster than her. But at the age of 10, she beat Sadako for the first time during a race. And shortly after, Sadako developed leukaemia and spent one year trying to make 1,000 paper cranes in the hope that this would give her extra strength to survive. Sadly Sadako died before she could make 1000. She had been born in Hiroshima shortly before the Bomb was dropped.

Today, joining Sadako’s wish for health, life and world peace, paper cranes are made all around the world. I commend the late Atsuko Betchaku, who began the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre’s 140,000 Origami Cranes Project back in 2015, Janis Hart for inheriting this noble spirit and embodying the powerful message of peace through this monumental installation here at St John’s Church as part of the Just Festival, and everyone else involved in making this project a reality.
 
I would also like to thank Lord Provost Frank Ross for joining us today. Exactly one year ago today, the Lord Provost was kind and thoughtful to attend a planting ceremony together with me at the Royal Botanic Garden. We planted Ginkgo Trees grown from the precious seeds from the miraculous tree which survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima again exactly 76 years ago.

Therefore, I am happy to recognise this installation today as a second powerful symbol of hope, resilience and world peace in Edinburgh. This is particularly appropriate and precious since we are now fighting together to overcome the difficulties and challenges put forward by COVID.
In closing, I pray once again for the repose of the souls of those who fell victim to the atomic bombing, a world free of nuclear weapons and eternal peace.
Thank you very much for listening.