In July of 1959, less than a year after the Cuban Revolution, Ernesto "Che" Guevara landed in Japan in his signature olive green military outfit. He was 31 years-old.

Following the U.S. trade restriction on sugar from Cuba, Guevara and other members of the Cuban government flew to Japan, hoping to negotiate an increase of sugar exports there. In addition, they visited major Japanese industrial powers, such as Toyota, Kubota, Mitsubishi, and Sony. When the Japanese government refused to include Hiroshima in the itenerary, Guevara decided to secretly visit the city.

 A Man with Bright Eyes Arrives in Japan

Although Guevara was hardly a well-known figure among Japanese, his appearance left a strong impression to those who had a chance to meet him. A Japanese government official commented that among the cheerful members of the Cuban delegation, Guevara stood out for his calm disposition and possessing a set of genuinely pure and bright eyes.

Determined to See Hiroshima

Hiroshima was not part of Guevara's official itinerary as a destination during the trip to Japan (due to an opposition from the Japanese government), however, he was determined to see the city with his own eyes. He was supposed to visit a cemetery of soldiers under Imperialist Japan, but he refused the visit saying that there was no reason to pay respects to Imperialist soldiers who killed so many other innocent Asians.

Hiroshima was the first city where a nuclear weapon was detonated, against people - killing the greatest number of people in the shortest period of time in the history of humankind. Guevara said, “I need to see the place where the United States killed more than 100,000 Japanese.” He sneaked out of his hotel and caught a night train bound for Hiroshima with a couple of his colleagues. In Hiroshima, his party visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (where the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome stands), Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum, and the Atomic Bomb Hospital.

According to a local newspaper reporter who interviewed Guevara, he was very careful not to make any public statements to upset the public of Japan or the United States. However, after witnessing the extent of the human tragedy that occurred in Hiroshima, he commented, “We must give our love to Hiroshima and its people forever”, and also blurted in bewilderment “Why doesn’t Japan ask the United States for an apology, and why not show anger and stop letting the U.S. control Japan?”

Perhaps, for Guevara, a person of dignity and an advocate for social justice, he saw the merciless oppression to the ordinary and the weak and their tragic destiny as bomb victims who paid the ultimate price for the success of the oppressor, those with more wealth, higher authority, and superior weaponry.

A Piece of Hiroshima in Cuba

After his return to Cuba, Guevara made a public statement to the people of Cuba as well as to President Castro about how they should witness Hiroshima in their own eyes.

Since Guevara's death, his passion for removal of all oppression of the weak has aroused many people around the world to fight for social justice. Castro did visit Hiroshima in 2003, as he had promised Che. Every year on August 6th (first day of Atomic Bomb Holocausts), Cubans gather to pray for peace. Cuban students learn about the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in junior high school. Typically, their reference books contain three pages on the topic.

Japan has planned to honor Che Guevara by sharing the burning fire which was taken from Hiroshima after the bomb, and kept burning in Fukuoka, Japan, with Cuba. If the project comes to fruition, there will be a part of Hiroshima in Cuba forever as a symbol of Che’s love and commitment to the Hiroshima bomb victims.

Che’s Guevara's Death in 1967

Guevara was executed in Bolivia 1967 by a Bolivian Army unit operating under the direction of the CIA. He died as a true revolutionist who stuck to his principles. His goal was not a political victory, but freedom from unjust oppression.

Although Guevara had planned to become a doctor, he decided to become a revolutionist because he felt compelled to change the unjust systems in the world. He was convinced that a revolutionist would be able to save more people in the end than a doctor. His was prepared to give his life for his convictions.

We must Give Our Love to Hiroshima Forever

Che Guevara was an exceptional human being who lived up to his principles. He gave up his life in order to give others an opportunity to stand up for themselves. He demonstrated with his actions how humanity should carry a borderless love for each other. Before his death, he witnessed Hiroshima, where superb human intelligence in science successfully achieved mass murder with a press of a button.

Guevara's message, “We must give our love to Hiroshima forever.” represents his reminder to all humanity that we must love all human kind, above all, victims of all types of oppression, regardless of nationality or race.

Source:

Miyoshi,Toru. Che Nihon wo Iku (Che goes to Japan). March Issue of Bungei Shunju. Tokyo: Bungei Shunju Ltd.. 1969.

Source