Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum faces backlash over historical revisions

The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum is undergoing its first exhibition update in 30 years, a move that has sparked intense opposition from local civic groups. The proposed changes involve significant revisions to descriptions regarding Japan’s wars of aggression and colonial rule.

Specifically, the museum plans to change the term ‘Nanjing Massacre’ to ‘Nanjing Incident,’ a modification the Nagasaki City government states follows the terminology used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and approved textbooks. Local activist Tatsuo Sekiguchi criticized the move, arguing that changing the wording distorts historical facts and fails to convey the brutality of the event to visitors, particularly those from China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.

Critics warn that the updates will reduce the volume of content related to Japan's history of aggression to approximately one-quarter of its current size. They argue that such changes undermine the museum’s role in peace education and may prevent younger generations from understanding the full historical context preceding the atomic bombings.