From the Translator

translator: Ken'ichi Nagano

27th Mar.1997

I was told last summer by Mr.Matsumura, one of my personal computer communication friends, that he was planning to publish "A personal record of Hiroshima A-bomb Survival" on the Web. I agreed to his proposal right away. Although I was not a student of the late Mr.Terao, I became acquainted with him through the PC communication and regular off-line meeting of COARA. It was also my desire that his precious record be preserved and published world wide. It is a great privilege for me, thanks to Mr.Matsumura's favor, to be involved in this project as a translator.

The late Mr.Terao quietly describes his experience. His record, free from sensational adjectives, soaks deeply into the heart of the reader. The many messages sent in reply to his posting, and the surprise and deep sorrow upon his death, clearly show that he was respected and loved by COARA members.

I have tried to convey subtle shades of meaning as precisely as possible. But when the faces of the writers come to my mind, I sometime ask myself if I can really express their implications. I am afraid my English may sound strange to native speakers. Fortunately, many Internet friends of mine help me improve my original English to a more natural one. I appreciate all of those friends; Mr. Don Plym in Arizona, Mr. Satoru Miyazaki in Wisconsin, Mr. Mamoru Tsukamoto, and Ms. Consuelo Ribes in New York.

I was recently told by Mr.Matsumura that the home access count (in Japanese) has been outnumbered by the overseas version, and many messages have been sent to the site. Some foreign readers have learned for the first time, by accessing this site, what happened a half century ago. I strongly believe that the first tiny seeds have taken root in foreign soil.

I hope the site will appeal to many more people, and help the late Mr.Terao's wishes to come true.

Ken'ichi Nagano