Pearl Harbor attack witness, atomic bomb survivor reunite in Nagasaki

On Sunday, Dorinda Makanaonalani Nicholson, 90, and Chiyoko Motomura, 87, reunited in Nagasaki, sharing a message about the importance of individual kindness in achieving world peace. The two last met on December 7, the anniversary of the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, when Motomura visited the United States. Motomura, who was 6 years old during the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, expressed her joy at meeting Nicholson again, saying she was grateful for the opportunity to reconnect.

Nicholson, who was 6 when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred, recalled watching the Japanese planes over her house and hiding in a sugar cane field. Both women emphasized the significance of dialogue and kindness in fostering global peace, stating that achieving world peace starts with each individual being kind to others and teaching their children to be polite and respectful.

Motomura admitted that she had tense feelings towards Nicholson before their first meeting, but the two quickly realized the importance of communication and understanding. They described each other as bookends to the war, representing the beginning and end of the conflict. Nicholson praised Motomura's spirit, noting that they communicate through a language of love, despite not sharing a common language.