The Lucky Dragon No. 5 Exhibit's 40th Anniversary

Above, the bow of the Lucky Dragon No. 5. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Lucky Dragon No. 5 exhibit is "celebrating" its 40th anniversary this year. But there are those who are concerned that the famed boat may not last another 40 years unless action is taken now.

According to an article in the Asahi Shimbun:

However, there are many nowadays who are not familiar with the Bikini Atoll incident, which became a watershed rallying point for the anti-nuclear weapons movement around the world. 

This year, the hall printed 1,000 copies of a memorial book on the 40-year history of the exhibition hall, and some information panels were renewed in hopes of attracting more visitors. 

Preservation of the ever-deteriorating Daigo Fukuryu Maru is an urgent issue needed to be addressed. Thirty years have passed since its last major restoration, which took 15 months to complete. 

It has become a daily chore for the gallery staff to sweep up paint chips that are peeling off the hull and are falling to the floor. 

The public interest incorporated foundation that operates the facility has invited several experts in cultural asset conservation to look at the tuna fishing boat. An assessment is expected to take several years, after which a conservation action plan will be written up.

Above, the port side of the Lucky Dragon No. 5. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I visited the Lucky Dragon back in 2007 and again in 2014. The incident involving the boat was one of the inspirations for the creation of the Godzilla character. It is spotlighted on page 25 in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

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