Following the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on 9 August 1945, Takashi Nagai remained at the Nagasaki Medical College Hospital to treat victims despite suffering a severed right temporal artery. A radiologist by trade, he dedicated his final years to documenting the aftermath of the war while coping with leukemia induced by chronic occupational X-ray exposure.
Medical Career and Education
Nagai pursued his education at Matsue Higher School before enrolling at Nagasaki Medical College in 1928. After a severe ear infection hindered his medical practice, he focused his professional efforts on radiology. He earned his Doctor of Medical Science degree in 1944. During his tenure at Nagasaki Medical College, he balanced his academic responsibilities with research in the hospital radiology department.
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Raised with Confucian and Shinto influences, Nagai moved toward Catholicism after the death of his mother in 1930 and his subsequent immersion in the writings of Blaise Pascal. He was baptized in 1934, adopting the name Paul, and joined the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. His spiritual journey was closely linked to the Urakami district, home to a local community of Kakure Kirishitans.
Military Service and War
Nagai served as a medic with the 11th Infantry Regiment in Manchuria starting in 1933 and was later mobilized as a surgeon during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. These experiences left him disillusioned with the prevailing Japanese approach to military conflict. His personal life was marked by family tragedies, including the loss of his father and several children during these years.
Literary Legacy
Despite a terminal diagnosis of leukemia in 1945, Nagai became a prolific author. His work bridged his clinical observations as a doctor with his theological reflections. He is best known for his writings including The Bells of Nagasaki and Children of Nagasaki, which detailed the human suffering in Japan following the war's conclusion. His literary activity continued until his death in 1951.
Fast facts
- Born: 1908, Matsue
- Died: 1951, Nagasaki
- Occupation: Physician, radiologist, writer
- Education: Nagasaki Medical College
- Religion: Catholic Church
- Notable Works: The Bells of Nagasaki, Children of Nagasaki
- Burial Site: Sakamoto International Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What caused Takashi Nagai's death?
He died in 1951 from leukemia, a condition he developed due to chronic exposure to X-rays during his radiological research.
Is Takashi Nagai considered a saint?
He has been titled a Servant of God, and his cause for canonization within the Catholic Church was formally opened in 2021.
Achievements
- Notable work: The Bells of Nagasaki
- Notable work: Children of Nagasaki
