On Friday March 21, a commemorative award ceremony and special lecture by Dr. Terumi Tanaka, Co-Chairperson of Nihon Hidankyo has been held at the Tohoku University Centennial Memorial Hall (Kawauchi Hagi Hall).
The special event, organized in conjunction with the City of Sendai, welcomed over 500 attendees from across Japan to honor Dr. Terumi Tanaka.
Dr. Tanaka had the distinguished honor of accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of his association at last year's award ceremony. In recognition of this milestone and his contributions to Tohoku University, he was presented with the Tohoku University International Award during the event in Sendai.

The ceremony opened with a speech from President Teiji Tominaga, who highlighted Dr. Tanaka’s lifelong achievements and his deep ties to the university. Sendai Mayor Kazuko Kori also delivered a speech filled with admiration for Dr. Tanaka’s dedication to peace and nuclear disarmament.
After receiving the award from President Tominaga, Dr. Tanaka shared his story—recounting his life before World War II, his harrowing experience of the atomic bomb, and his decades-long commitment to promoting peace and nuclear disarmament through Nihon Hidankyo. He reflected on the path that led the organization to receive the Nobel Prize and expressed his concerns about a world once again teetering on the brink of nuclear conflict. As one of the few remaining direct survivors of the atomic bombings, he emphasized the importance of passing on the memories and stories of Nihon Hidankyo members to future generations.

Following his speech, which left the audience in awe, Dr. Tanaka participated in a talk session with Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki. During the discussion, using many pictures of the period, Dr. Tanaka had the opportunity to recount his experiences at Tohoku University, prompted by EVP Ueki’s reflections. The conversation was engaging and insightful, and later, Vice President Nagasaka shared his own memories from the time when Dr. Tanaka was working in the university.
The event was a resounding success—an invaluable opportunity to hear firsthand from one of the last living witnesses to one of history’s greatest tragedies.