Youth antinuclear socialisation in Japan: early encounters with the concept of nuclear weapons

Abstract

As living memory of the use of nuclear weapons dies out, lessons from the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki could become unlearned. Thus, the voices of youth antinuclear activists have never been more important. Drawing from 24 oral history interviews conducted in Japan, this article discusses the ‘greying effect’ of the antinuclear movement. First, it outlines a background and theoretical framework of youth political socialisation. Second, it discusses oral history as a method. Third, it traces young people’s early encounters with the concept of ‘nuclear weapons’, discussing forces that foster and prevent meaningful youth participation in the antinuclear movement. It argues that while Japan’s peace education sustains unique levels of youth engagement with atomic bomb materials and historical events, it is perceived as insufficient to motivate political action, movement participation, and can at times prevent it.