On 11 July 1945, allied leaders met in Potsdam, Germany. They confirmed agreements about Germany and reiterated the demand for unconditional surrender of all Japanese forces by Japan, specifically stating that "the alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction".

     However, the Japanese government was internally divided on whether to make peace and did not respond. In early August, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 15 August 1945, Japan surrendered, with the surrender documents finally signed aboard the deck of the American battleship USS Missouri on 2 September 1945, ending the war.

     The year 2015 marked the 70th Anniversary after the WWII ended. Currently, there are still people suffering from the war in their countries. With the rise of ISIS in 2013, the civil war in Syria, the threat of nuclear war from North Korea and the ambitions of the Putin of Russia etc, peace on earth is still under threat. With the Prime Minister Abe’s Security Bill passed in September 2015, it seemed that Japan is ready to go to war if the country or their allies are threatened. This Security Bill did cause some controversies and threaten its neighbouring countries of South East Asia. How would this Bill affect the views of the Japanese people and how the Japanese view China? We will try to find out in the survey during the tour.

     In this study tour, we have two project groups. Group I studied the devastating damages done by nuclear weapons and investigate how the city of Nagasaki was rebuilt. They also looked into the necessity of dropping the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Group II studied the Sino-Japanese relationship after Abe’s Security Bill.

     We interviewed an expert on the international relationship, Professor Simon Shen(沈旭暉教授) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He shared his expertise in Sino-Japanese Relationship with us and inspired our girls to make reflections and the experience was really valuable for us.  In addition, we visited the Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University(長崎天主教純心女子大學) and attended a lecture by Professor Simon Hull about the development of Christianity in Nagasaki. Our students designed and prepared a questionnaire and we will carry out a street survey with the local Japanese in Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Nagasaki to find out how they view the current sino-Japanese relationship. ‘

     We visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum(長崎原爆紀念館), the Nagasaki Peace Park(平和公園) and the Kita-Kyushu Eco Town(北九州環保城). Since Kyushu is famous for having the heavy industries, we visited the amazing Yawata Works of the Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation(新日鐵住金株式會社八幡製鐵所), Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company in Nagasaki(長崎三菱造船廠), and the Hatchobaru Geothermal Power Plant (九重八丁原發所)of the Kyushu Electric Power Company that uses thermal energy to generate electricity. We also had a chance to visit the Kumamoto Castle (熊本城) of Kumamoto and Aso Farm(阿蘇牧場) to have other experience in Japanese culture.

     Our students did benefit a lot from the study about the devastating damage of the atomic bomb, the invaluable interaction with the professors and students of the Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University, the first-class manner, the perseverance and determination of the Japanese people. Skills in video editing, movie taking, designing questionnaire, collaborative skills, communicative skills in doing street interviews, critical thinking and creativity are also nurtured.

     We hope to complete this projects web page as soon as possible and share with you our precious experience.

     Finally, we would like to deliver our heartfelt thanks to the Mrs. Ng Chan Suk Yee, Principal of Belilios Public School and Professor Shinichiro Araki, Dean of Nagasaki Junshin Catholic University. This tour would not be successful without their support.