It has been 60 years since U.S. bombers destroyed much of Tokyo in the spring of 1945. Survivors of the "Great Tokyo Air Raids" -- most of them now in their 70s and 80s -- are few and far between. Words like "B-nijuku" (B-29), "bokugo" (air-raid shelter) and "shoidan" (incendiary bomb) are no longer heard in daily conversations. To remember the tragedy and leave its records to posterity, citizens in Tokyo and other cities that were bombed during the final months of World War II are promoting a variety of memorial events and programs.

In Tokyo, a project is under way to determine the actual number of casualties on the basis of newly discovered documents related to the March 10, 1945, air raid, which took place before dawn. A group of popular artists and entertainers has produced a music CD to complement a Tokyo exhibition on the bombing. Elsewhere in the country, monuments and other memorials for those who perished during the raids have been constructed or are scheduled for construction.

As memories of the war steadily fade, survivors who in the past have refused to recount their experiences in public are coming forward, while those who have been too busy with their daily work to give much thought to the past and now lead a quiet life in retirement are telling their children and grandchildren about their sufferings and hardships. Others, while complaining that life is short, continue to play an active role as living war witnesses. Their common message is that the 21st century must be a century of peace.