March 10: A Photojournalist’s Reflection on Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Nuclear Bombs

Naonori Kohira

It has been 66 years since the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In this public talk, distinguished Japanese photographer Naonori Kohira walks you through his journey to five cities, starting from the Trinity site in New Mexico where the first atomic bomb was tested.

• Public Talk: The Road from Trinity: a Photojournalist’s Reflection on Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Nuclear Bombs
• Speaker: Naonori Kohira
• Date: Thursday, March 10, 2011
• Time: 5 – 6.30 pm
• Venue: T3, Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong

This talk will be conducted in English.

Kohira’s photographs uncover an emotional reflection on the history.

Images from Los Alamos where the bomb was built and the two “Ground Zero” cities in Japan make us wonder about the irony of “killing to stop killing.”

His journey ends with his hometown of Kokura, the city the U.S. Air Force originally intended to drop the nuclear weapon. It was saved by cloudy sky and low visibility (the B-29 went on to its second target, Nagasaki, on the same day).

Naonori Kohira co-authored a book titled The Road From Trinity (原爆の軌跡) with technology forecaster Paul Saffo.

As a photojournalist, he covered the fall of Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the wars and violent conflicts in Nicaragua, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and Israel.

Enquiries: Kylie Chan at 2219-4416 or kyliec@hku.hk