A firsthand account written by a Hiroshima survivor nearly 80 years ago is finally set to reach readers around the world this summer after being discovered in a U.S. archive. The long-forgotten memoir by Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist priest who witnessed the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, will be published on August 6, marking the anniversary of the attack.

The memoir’s release coincides with plans for a major feature film about Tanimoto’s life. Japanese actor Takehiro Hira, recognized for his role in Netflix’s Giri/Haji, will play the Methodist minister. Pre-production starts in November, and filming is set for February 2027.

Producer Donald Rosenfeld, former president of Merchant Ivory Productions, said the memoir is being published at a time when concerns about nuclear weapons are still important around the world.

“It’s an in-depth look at what this terrible bomb did,” he said. “It is so topical now with the Iran situation and North Korea. You can’t imagine anything worse than Hiroshima, but it could be worse – supposedly 10,000 times stronger today. We really have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

A firsthand account of a historic catastrophe

On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima to end World War II. The explosion destroyed much of the city and caused many deaths.

Historians estimate that about 120,000 people died in the first four days after the bombing. Many suffered severe burns and radiation. Three days later, another atomic bomb hit Nagasaki, killing about 73,000 people. Japan surrendered on August 15, ending the war.

Tanimoto witnessed the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing himself. He survived because he was away from the city, moving a wardrobe to another town when the bomb exploded. When he came back, he saw destruction that he would remember for the rest of his life.

From silence to written testimony

At first, Tanimoto thought he could not describe the horrors he saw. But over time, he realized it was important to write down his experiences.

According to his daughter, Koko Tanimoto Kondo, he eventually concluded that sharing his story could help prevent future generations from experiencing a similar tragedy.

After years of reflection, he wrote the memoir nearly 80 years ago. However, the manuscript stayed unpublished and was mostly forgotten in a U.S. archive.

Rosenfeld, who helped bring attention to the work, described the memoir as “beautifully written.”

The publication will let readers see one of the most personal accounts of the bombing from someone who saw its aftermath firsthand.

Daughter adds powerful reflection

The new edition features a 9,000-word foreword by Kondo, now 81, who was only eight months old when the bomb hit Hiroshima.

In her foreword, she stresses how important it is to keep historical memories alive for future generations. She writes, “memory is our hope for survival as human beings.”

Kondo also talks about how hard it was for survivors and their families to speak about what happened.

“For many years, I could not live in Hiroshima, the city of my birth. On the day the atomic bomb dropped, I was eight months old, a baby in the arms of my mother. It was 40 years before she could bring herself to tell me, in her own words, how I had survived. Few people would talk about that time. Their memories kept them quiet.”

Global release planned for anniversary

Random House will publish the memoir in the United States, and Penguin will handle international editions. Rights have already been sold in many countries, showing strong worldwide interest in Tanimoto’s story.

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