Monument/Memorial Sites in Japan - Research and Brainstorming

Marine J.

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Monument/Memorial Sites in Japan - Research and Brainstorming

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Themes

Japan, Tokyo, monument, Japan history, Daigo Fukury? Maru, World War II, Lucky Dragon, nuclear testing, nuclear energy, Daigo Fukuryu-Maru Exhibition Hall

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Abstract

The Daigo Fukury? Maru (Lucky Dragon #5) monument commemorates a Japanese tuna fishing boat and its crew that were affected by the U.S. hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954. The 15-megaton "Bravo" test caused radioactive fallout, or "ashes of death," to rain on the crew and the surrounding ocean. All 23 fishermen aboard were contaminated. One of the crew members, Aikichi Kuboyama, even died because of the radiations he suffered from during the accident. This event, part of the U.S. nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific, became a symbol of the dangers of nuclear weapons and the global consequences of their testing, especially in Japan, a country who renounced war and the use of such weapons after WWII.

Preliminary Research
1. Google search to look for monument/memorial sites in Tokyo, or another location in Japan
2. A search on Google Scholar for academic debates on monuments & memorials in Tokyo/Japan
3. Answer the questions
Brainstorming
Focused Research

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Extract

[...] What examples look most interesting and/or problematic and why? - Write down below the citations for any relevant articles you found: Steve Brown (2024) Of tuna, godzilla, and the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon # nuclear entanglements, a 'way-sign to peace', and shifting heritage engagements, International Journal of Heritage Studies, 30:9, 1120-1135, DOI: 10.1080/13527258.2024.2370414 Yu-Fang Cho (2019) Remembering Lucky Dragon, re-membering Bikini: worlding the Anthropocene through transpacific nuclear modernity, Cultural Studies, 33:1, 122-146, DOI: 10.1080/09502386.2018.1428643 - Read at least 1 article (more points for more articles) that you find most useful/relevant to understanding the monument debate and report what you learned here: Steve Brown (2024) Of tuna, godzilla, and the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon # nuclear entanglements, a 'way-sign to peace', and shifting heritage engagements, International Journal of Heritage Studies, 30:9, 1120-1135, DOI: 10.1080/13527258.2024.2370414 1. [...]

[...] If the Google Scholar search did not offer much, do another search using the Databases on this page ? Use only articles that you can access online via Google Scholar or the UTokyo library ? Review How to Read a Scholarly Article if you are not used to read academic articles 3. Once you've completed your search, answer the questions below: ? Did you find more info on the same monuments? If so, what? ? Did you find any new monument examples? [...]

[...] Explain in detail here-this is a way for you to clarify your thoughts and learn exactly what you want to observe and why before you actually go and observe it Currently debated/criticized or has been debated/criticized in the past: The Daigo Fukury? Maru (DFM) memorial has faced criticism for several reasons. First, the commercialization of Godzilla, which is linked to the memorial, seems to water down its original anti-nuclear message for profit. Thus, the memorial both symbolizes anti-nuclear resistance and consumerism (which is even more predominant by the presence of a museum shop). There's also tension between Japan's victim narrative about the atomic bombings and its later promotion of nuclear energy, which complicates the legacy of the DFM. [...]

[...] The memorial reflects a clash between official government narratives and the work of local communities, who have played a big role in preserving the DFM. Last but not least, the memorial has been criticized for its location on the outskirts of Tokyo, which may show how the event was pushed to the margins of Japanese history That you find problematic in some ways or disrespectful to some groups/excludes some groups, but has remained in place until today: the memorial doesn't do enough to highlight the impact of nuclear testing on Pacific Islanders, whose suffering was erased from the story Devoted to a person/character/group/event that had been previously ignored or looked down upon: The Lucky Dragon incident was overlooked and overshadowed by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for years, so the memorial helps bring attention to this forgotten event Whose popularity has made it into a big tourist attraction (which makes it problematic in some way and/or may have also spurred public criticism): The memorial has become a popular spot, but this could also be a problem. [...]

[...] Yes, the memorial has changed over time. At first, it was sitting in garbage and abandoned. But as the anti-nuclear movement grew and more people realized the Lucky Dragon story was important, the memorial was created, the boat preserved and exhibits were put forward in order to include more information about the incident and its impact. Over time, the exhibition also started to connect the event to the wider history of nuclear testing, including the effects on Pacific Islanders (to be seen during my visit?), and included the cultural link to Godzilla, which was inspired by the incident. [...]

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