Daigo Fukuryu Maru Memorial, Tokyo

Extract

[...] Maru Memorial, Tokyo Presentation I. presentation of the DFM + explain the link w the academic articles Today, I'll be talking about the Daigo Fukury? Maru Memorial, dedicated to the Japanese tuna fishing boat Daigo Fukury? Maru, or Lucky Dragon No whose story is a big part of Japan's nuclear history. First of all, im gonna do a quick outline of my presentation so that everyone can understand what im gonna talk about. So let's start by delving into the Lucky dragon No 5 incident. [...]

[...] critical evaluation of the memorial: When I visited the memorial, my observations confirmed a lot of what I'd learned in my research. For example, I saw how local organizations played a huge role in preserving the ship and pushing for the memorial to be created. My research also backed this up, showing how grassroots activism between 1967 and 1976 was key to protecting and memorializing the Lucky Dragon. At the same time, I noticed how the memorial's importance seems to be declining today. As I mentioned before, only a few people were visiting during my trip. [...]

[...] The memorial also shows how Japan's collective memory of nuclear issues has evolved. Initially, it focused on the immediate tragedy of the crew, but now it includes Japan's relationship with nuclear power today, especially after Fukushima. Despite not being widely visited, the memorial still engages a small group of visitors who see its value in remembering Japan's nuclear history. Finally, the observation helped me think about 1 other issue I hadn't considered before and thus wasn't included in my question: i hadn't expected to see so much art in the memorial, like the artworks on the ship itself. [...]

[...] For instance, the amount of English information at the memorial really impressed me-it made the site more accessible to international visitors, and a staff member even gave me a summary in English when I arrived. I also didn't expect to see so much artistic content, like creative works and poems in the exhibits. These elements added depth to the experience and made it more engaging. VII. Connections to other memorials The Daigo Fukury? Maru and the Hiroshima Panels both use art to send strong anti-nuclear messages and promote peace. [...]

[...] answer to my question: Visiting the Daigo Fukury? Maru Memorial helped me answer my research question about how it has evolved as both a symbol of anti-nuclear resistance and commercialization, and what it reveals about Japan's shifting narratives on nuclear history. The memorial shows Japan's history as both a victim of nuclear attacks, and as a place from which activism can take place in order to idk maybe memorialize it and turn it into something memorable, in order to make sure that such tragedies never happen again. [...]