Hiroshima Residents Hope ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscars Draw Attention to A-Bomb Reality 

A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
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Hiroshima Residents Hope ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscars Draw Attention to A-Bomb Reality 

A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)

Half a world away from Hollywood, citizens in Hiroshima, Japan, reacted to the best picture win for "Oppenheimer", the blockbuster that depicted the race to develop the atom bomb that devastated their city 78 years ago.

The biopic about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer took in seven Oscars at Sunday night's Academy Awards after grossing $954 million worldwide. But the film has yet to screen in Japan, the only country to have suffered nuclear bombing, with US strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War Two.

"I myself would definitely like to watch this movie," said Yasuhiro Akiyama, a 43-year-old teacher.

"I hope more people around the world who have seen the movie would want to visit Hiroshima and come to the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome," he added.

"Oppenheimer" will finally open in Japan on March 29, about eight months after its debut. The opening last summer came just weeks before memorials of the blasts that claimed more than 200,000 lives.

Controversies over the film's content, which some criticized as glossing over the human toll of the bombings, and marketing cast doubt on whether the film would get shown in Japan.

Many Japanese were offended by a fan-created "Barbenheimer" campaign online that linked the movie to "Barbie", another blockbuster that opened around the same time.

Teruko Yahata, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, last week told Reuters that she was eager see "Oppenheimer" and hoped it would reinvigorate debate over nuclear weapons.

That sentiment was echoed by several Hiroshima residents interviewed after the film reaped Oscar gold.

"I think it's important to have a peaceful world where people no longer fight each other, so I hope this movie will give everyone an opportunity to learn about peace," said Miyuki Hirano, a 44-year-old nurse.

Yoshito Ihara said he doubted nuclear-armed nations would ever let go of the weapons, but he hoped the movie could educate individuals and motivate them to press for change.

"I have not seen the movie, but I think it's a chance for ordinary Japanese people to learn (about the bombing)," said Iwata, a 63-year-old real estate agent. "I think it is an issue every single person in the world must continue to fight against."



BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
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BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)

K-pop group BTS member Suga was discharged from the South Korean military on Saturday, the seventh and final member to complete the country's mandatory national service amid expectations of the band's comeback from a hiatus.

Suga finished his military tenure as a social service agent on Saturday with little fanfare as fans looked forward to his reunion with the rest of the band, a K-pop sensation since it started up in 2013.

"We confirm that Suga effectively completed his alternative service on June 18 by using his remaining leave. His official discharge date is June 21," BTS' label, Big Hit Music, said in a statement.

Unlike with his BTS bandmates, there was no public event planned to mark Suga's release because of overcrowding concerns.

The seven members of the group put their global music careers on hold in 2022 to begin their military service, starting with Jin in December that year. South Korea's mandatory national service can be for terms of up to 18 months.

Shortly after his official discharge, Suga posted a message on fan community platform Weverse, saying he was "sorry for the disappointment and concern caused by what happened last year", and also apologizing to his bandmates.

Last year, Suga was fined 15 million won ($11,500) by a court for drunk driving while on an electric scooter.

The group is expected to hold its largest-ever world tour in 2026, an NH Securities entertainment analyst said in a report.

Entertainment group HYBE, which manages BTS, is closely monitored by securities companies.

Details of a reunion have not been released.