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Mayors for Peace adopts “Hiroshima Appeal,” calls for negotiations to abolish nuclear arms

by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer

The General Conference of Mayors for Peace adopted the “Hiroshima Appeal” on August 5. This joint statement calls on the United Nations and all countries to start substantive negotiations for the early conclusion of a nuclear weapons convention with a view to abolishing nuclear arms by 2020. The conference, which has been held at the International Conference Center Hiroshima, will close on August 6 after the participants attend the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.

The appeal, which was written by the mayors of the organization’s executive cities, was read aloud by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who serves as president of Mayors for Peace. The appeal was adopted with applause.

The appeal points to a growing movement in the international community which seeks to make nuclear weapons illegal by focusing on their inhumanity. The largest aim of the appeal is the conclusion of a nuclear weapons convention. The statement also calls on policy makers of the world to visit the two A-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

On the subject of nuclear energy, an issue viewed differently by different nations, the appeal stressed that no matter what the source of radiation might be, and no matter where it is produced, we must do our utmost not to create any more “hibakusha.”

Nuclear energy was also on the agenda at a meeting of the Japanese member cities of Mayors for Peace, held on the same day. Concerns were raised about the risk of nuclear power plants becoming the target of terrorist attacks.

In his speech at the closing session, Mr. Matsui said that the future course of action for the organization is now clear. He also called for advancing the abolition of nuclear weapons by gaining the support of as many citizens as possible.

The closing session was attended by 305 people, including representatives of 157 cities and NGOs from 18 countries. The next general conference will be held in Nagasaki in 2017.

Commentary: Efforts must continue as organization is strengthened

by Kohei Okata, Staff Writer

Mayors for Peace has grown to be an immense organization with 5,712 member cities, and improving its governing structure has become an urgent task. It made progress toward this end at its general conference, which closed on August 5 in Hiroshima, including the adoption of such measures as a new “leader cities” system. To realize the elimination of nuclear arms by the year 2020, it is vital that every member city continue making efforts while strengthening the organization further.

Thanks to the consensus-building process involving the executive cities, the sound, three-part plan was adopted without objection. The three aims of the organization include: solidifying the organization by grouping member cities by region with a core of leader cities; building a network of groups and individuals from various fields and calling for the abolition of nuclear arms; and pressing national governments to conclude a nuclear weapons convention.

On the other hand, the plan offers no new ideas for promoting a nuclear weapons convention. To move the international community to take action, members cities have no alternative but to solicit understanding and cooperation from the public. Whether Mayors for Peace can turn its sizable membership into a genuine force is an open question.

The committee that drafted the Hiroshima Appeal engaged in a vigorous debate over whether or not the appeal should mention the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 (Daiichi) nuclear power plant. Some cities balked at including Fukushima in the appeal, despite its emphasis on the damage caused by radiation. In the end, Fukushima was not mentioned, a consequence of the diversity of opinion that naturally exists among such a large membership.

The city of Hiroshima, whose mayor serves as president, must now spearhead the other cities in the organization’s drive toward nuclear abolition.

(Originally published on August 6, 2013)

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