(July 24, 1998, The Chugoku Shimbun)

Hiroshima municipal government selected representatives of the bereaved family on 24 July, to toll a "Bell of Peace" in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony which is scheduled to be held on August 6, 1998. The representative of the bereaved family are Kaei Hiraoka (official organization employee, age 30), the representative of children is Eriko Noma (grade 6, Eriko Noma, age 11).

Hiraoka who lost his grandmother in the A-bombing and whose parents are survivors said, "I want to pray the souls of the victims of the A-bomb may rest in peace and toll the bell with my heart-felt wishes for peace in the world." Noma whose two grandmothers experienced the A-bombing said with aspirations, "I wish for peace and do my best as hard as I can."

The representatives of children to read the "Pledge for Peace", are K. Ohtani (age 12, grade 6) of Kusatsu Elementary School and Chizuru Horikoshi (age 12, grade 6) of Midorimachi Elementary School. They are winners of Peace Summit Essay Contest which was organized by the City's Education Committee. They said with one accord, "I want to read the pledge out loud with all my heart for peace all over the world."

Hiroshima City invites a representative of bereaved family from each prefecture. The representatives from 6 prefectures, Yamagata, Tochigi, Wakayama, Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa will be absent. Continuing from last year, there will be 41 representatives attended to the ceremony this year.