Question

What does the use of the term hibakusha indicate?

The effects of the atomic bombs were limited to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, so a new term was coined to identify their geographic locations.

The radiation from the atomic bombs was so significant that a new term was needed to describe the medical conditions resulting from exposure.

The dropping of atomic bombs had such a widespread impact on Japanese society that a new term was needed to identify survivors.

Answer 1

The third statement is correct.

Hibakusha (literally “bomb-affected person”) is the Japanese term for survivors of the atomic bombings. Its use reflects the social recognition and lasting societal impact of the bombings — a distinct category of people — rather than merely naming locations or only describing medical conditions (though it does include those who suffered radiation injury).