Nakamura Goro, a renowned Japanese journalist, gives a presentation on the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin in Viet Nam. (Photo: VNA)
The Japan – Viet Nam Friendship Association organised the 14th Viet Nam Dioxin Day in Tokyo on August 11, in response to the Day for Vietnamese Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin Victims (August 10).
As an annual activity of the association since its inception in 2011, the event featured a documentary by director Kohei Kawabata, telling the life story of Nguyen Duc, the younger brother in the conjoined twin pair Viet – Duc, a victim of AO sprayed by the US military during the war in Viet Nam. Duc showed great strength and determination in overcoming the pain caused by his illnesses, living positively and energetically, and inspiring others. The film also addressed the ongoing consequences of AO in Viet Nam, where many people continue to be affected today.
The event also saw a presentation by renowned Japanese journalist Nakamura Goro, who has held numerous photo exhibitions in Japan and around the world on the effects of AO in Viet Nam. Since 1976, he has taken tens of thousands of photographs on this topic, exhibiting them in Japan, the US, and the Republic of Korea, aiming to convey to the world the AO tragedy suffered by the Vietnamese people.
According to Nakamura, the AO issue in Viet Nam has certain similarities to the atomic bomb tragedies in Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. However, the AO tragedy is barely known to the world, including to the American public.
Yoshiro Suzuki, secretary-general of the executive committee for the Viet Nam Dioxin Day in Japan, noted that after 50 years, Viet Nam has rebuilt its war-torn country and achieved strong economic development. Nevertheless, the AO sprayed by the US military during the war continues to cause serious consequences in the Southeast Asian country nowadays.
He affirmed his commitment to maintaining the annual Viet Nam Dioxin Day in Japan to raise awareness about the issue and to share the suffering of its victims in Viet Nam./.
Source: VNA
