Overview
The urban landscape of the City of Hiroshima is full of the natural beauty of lush green mountains and beautiful rivers.
When the first atomic bomb in history was detonated over Hiroshima, it decimated the city and caused devastating loss of human life. Amid agonizing pain and grief, Hiroshima began its process of rebuilding as a peace memorial city with the enactment of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction Law under the Japanese Constitution. With the wisdom and efforts of its citizens, and generous support from across Japan and overseas, the City of Hiroshima was able to make a remarkable recovery, emerging today as the economic, cultural, and administrative hub of the Chugoku and Shikoku regions.
In August 2014 and July 2018, the City of Hiroshima suffered a torrential rain disaster that caused extensive damage and casualties. Drawing on the lessons and experience from these disasters, the Hiroshima City has been working with the national and prefectural governments to develop basic infrastructure for disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as promote civic participation to build more disaster-resilient communities. Hiroshima aims to be a disaster-resilient city by combining both these hard and soft approaches.
Since joining the City Partnership Program (CPP) in 2023, Hiroshima City has conducted workshops with TDLC on themes including post-war urban reconstruction and renewal as a peace city, and urban disaster resilience.
Key topics of engagement
- Urban reconstruction after the atomic bombing
- Urban reconstruction and resilience-building after a torrential rain disaster
Voice of the city
The ultimate goal of the City of Hiroshima is to become an International Peace Culture City. Since joining the CPP in March 2023, we have facilitated knowledge exchange workshops on themes of Urban Reconstruction and Regeneration After the Atomic Bombing and Urban Reconstruction and Resilience-Building After a Torrential Rain Disaster.
In the same month, the City of Hiroshima worked with the TDLC to organize an international symposium where we shared the Will of Hiroshima with many participants, and spread the message of peace and reconstruction to countries and cities currently facing multiple crises, including Ukraine where war continues to rage on.
We look forward to continuing working with TDLC to share Hiroshima’s unique experience and knowledge as a city of peace and reconstruction, and contribute to solving various urban issues in developing countries.
Mitsuda Tadashi, Director, Policy Coordination Department, Planning and General Affairs Bureau, City of Hiroshima
Key recent collaborations
- April 2023
Hiroshima City officials were invited by TDLC to give a presentation on its reconstruction and recovery efforts after torrential rain disasters in an urban planning workshop for the Indian government’s high-level committee in Nainital, India. - March 2023
TDLC and the City of Hiroshima co-hosted international symposium From Recovery to Growth: Learning from Hiroshima’s Experience – Dialogue between Hiroshima, Ukraine and other Eastern European and Central Asian Countries – - March 2023
TDLC and the City of Hiroshima facilitated the Housing and Urban Recovery: Knowledge Exchange in Japan on Urban Crises.
*As of July 2023
