A Business Trip Turns Deadly
On August 6, 1945, engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on assignment for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. As he walked to the train station, the atomic bomb detonated less than 3 kilometers away. Blinded and burned, he spent the night in a shelter and returned to Nagasaki the next day.
Back to Work, Again in Danger
Despite his injuries, Yamaguchi reported to work on August 9. While describing the Hiroshima blast to his supervisor, the second atomic bomb exploded over Nagasaki. Once again, he was about 3 kilometers from the epicenter. He survived without new injuries but fell ill shortly after.
Long Recovery, Quiet Years
Yamaguchi recovered, returned to work, and lived in Nagasaki with his wife and children. In 1957, he was recognized as a survivor of Nagasaki. Only in 2009 was he officially recognized by Japan as a survivor of both bombings.
Final Years and Recognition
He spent his later years advocating for nuclear disarmament, gave interviews, and appeared in documentaries. Tsutomu Yamaguchi died of stomach cancer in 2010 at age 93, the only person officially acknowledged as surviving both atomic bombings.
