(2)Was Japan trying to develop an atomic bomb?

Report on plans to develop an atomic bomb by "Ni Research," submitted in 1944. The chart outlines the procedure for compressing uranium.

Research was undertaken, but an atomic bomb wasn't developed.

Japan was the first country in the world to be attacked by an atomic bomb. However, if Japan had actually developed an atomic bomb, it's possible Japan would have become the perpetrator instead of the victim.

First, I spoke with Masakatsu Yamazaki, a physics professor at Tokyo Industry University. He responded, "Yes, like the United States and Germany, Japan was intent on developing an atomic bomb." I found this information rather shocking.

A closer look at the history of the atomic bomb

In 1938, nuclear fission using uranium was discovered in Germany. This fission produced enormous energy and countries quickly became involved in a race to create weapons from this discovery.

In Japan, two teams from the army and navy were engaged in this work. In the army, Dr. Yoshio Nishina led the research at the Chemical Research Institute. This project was called "Ni Research" (after the first sound "Ni" in "Nishina"). And in the navy, a professor from Kyoto University, Bunsaku Arakatsu, led their "F Research" (for "fission").

Working with uranium requires highly advanced skills, so "Ni Research" experienced many difficulties, particularly the fact that they lacked sufficient uranium. During the war, Japan was only able to obtain an estimated 500 kilograms. According to Professor Yamazaki, more than 100 tons is needed to produce an atomic bomb, which means their amount was only 1/200 of this quantity. Moreover, Japan's investment in this research was only 1/400 of the sum the United States spent on its own project.

After air raids by the allied forces heavily damaged his research facilities, Professor Nishina called a halt to the army's work. Although the navy's "F Research" continued, they were still in an early stage of development when the war ended. Thus, Japan was unable to produce an atomic bomb.

On August 10th, four days after the attack on Hiroshima, a report by the army's research group confirmed that the bomb used was indeed an atomic bomb. Both Professor Nishina and Professor Arakatsu were involved in this investigation and they were shocked by the horror of the weapon they had tried to make.

In the post-war era, there were a number of scientists actively involved in appealing for peace. A member of the "F Research" group, Nobel prize winner Dr. Hideki Yukawa, campaigned for the abolition of nuclear weapons until his death in 1981.

The President of Hiroshima University, Taizo Muta, recalls how Dr. Yukawa "attended our meetings even after cancer surgery forced him to sit in a wheelchair. He had a great passion for peace."