Akira Kawasaki, co-chair of ICAN, reports on conference in Mexico on humanitarian impact of nuclear arms
Mar. 12, 2014
by Yumi Kanazaki, Staff Writer
Akira Kawasaki, co-chairperson of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), delivered a speech in Hiroshima last week and spoke about the significance of the second conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, held in Mexico last month. He stressed that there were many voices calling for action to pursue a ban on nuclear arms. He urged that the results of the conference be used in discussions at the foreign ministerial meeting of the Non-proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), to be held in Hiroshima in April.
The conference in Mexico was the second on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, following the first gathering held in Oslo, Norway last year. Representatives from 146 nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the conference in Mexico. Participants from Japan included officials from the Foreign Ministry and Toshiki Fujimori, 69, the assistant secretary general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations. Mr. Fujimori gave a speech at the event, sharing his experience of the atomic bombing and his wish for peace.
Mr. Kawasaki observed the discussions as a representative of ICAN. He said he appreciated the amount of time devoted to A-bomb testimonies at the conference. “At the conference in Oslo, only two minutes were given for A-bomb accounts, but this time there was more than one hour, at the beginning of the conference,” he explained. “A-bomb survivors, who know how inhumane nuclear weapons are, made their presence felt, which set the tone for the discussions that followed.”
The Oslo conference focused on how a nuclear explosion would affect the environment and human health. This emphasis was reportedly designed to encourage the attendance of the nuclear weapon states and those nations dependent on an ally’s nuclear umbrella, including Japan.
The conference in Mexico took a step further. According to Mr. Kawasaki, many spoke out to the effect that action must be taken to ban and abolish such inhumane weapons. The chair of the conference, Mexico’s vice foreign minister, expressed determination to advance the abolition of nuclear arms, calling the conference “a point of no return.” He concluded the conference by pointing to the need for a legal framework to realize a ban on nuclear weapons.
In Mexico, representatives from the Austrian government expressed their intention to host the third such conference later this year. Mr. Kawasaki said, “The next conference will involve more discussion on a concrete plan of action. We must look closely at whether Japan, which holds a negative view toward a nuclear weapons convention, will continue to take part in these conferences.” He also suggested that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs be encouraged to host the fourth conference in Japan.
The NPDI, set to hold its meeting of foreign ministers soon in Hiroshima, is composed of 12 non-nuclear nations, including Japan and Australia, which are under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and Mexico. The members of the organization hold varying views on nuclear weapons, and the possibility exists that they will not come to agreement. “If that was the outcome,” Mr. Kawasaki said, “it would slow the current momentum and this would be unacceptable. The public must speak out and be heard.”
About 30 people heard Mr. Kawasaki speak, sponsored by the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, a citizens’ group.
(Originally published on March 10, 2014)
Akira Kawasaki, co-chairperson of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), delivered a speech in Hiroshima last week and spoke about the significance of the second conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, held in Mexico last month. He stressed that there were many voices calling for action to pursue a ban on nuclear arms. He urged that the results of the conference be used in discussions at the foreign ministerial meeting of the Non-proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), to be held in Hiroshima in April.
The conference in Mexico was the second on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, following the first gathering held in Oslo, Norway last year. Representatives from 146 nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the conference in Mexico. Participants from Japan included officials from the Foreign Ministry and Toshiki Fujimori, 69, the assistant secretary general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations. Mr. Fujimori gave a speech at the event, sharing his experience of the atomic bombing and his wish for peace.
Mr. Kawasaki observed the discussions as a representative of ICAN. He said he appreciated the amount of time devoted to A-bomb testimonies at the conference. “At the conference in Oslo, only two minutes were given for A-bomb accounts, but this time there was more than one hour, at the beginning of the conference,” he explained. “A-bomb survivors, who know how inhumane nuclear weapons are, made their presence felt, which set the tone for the discussions that followed.”
The Oslo conference focused on how a nuclear explosion would affect the environment and human health. This emphasis was reportedly designed to encourage the attendance of the nuclear weapon states and those nations dependent on an ally’s nuclear umbrella, including Japan.
The conference in Mexico took a step further. According to Mr. Kawasaki, many spoke out to the effect that action must be taken to ban and abolish such inhumane weapons. The chair of the conference, Mexico’s vice foreign minister, expressed determination to advance the abolition of nuclear arms, calling the conference “a point of no return.” He concluded the conference by pointing to the need for a legal framework to realize a ban on nuclear weapons.
In Mexico, representatives from the Austrian government expressed their intention to host the third such conference later this year. Mr. Kawasaki said, “The next conference will involve more discussion on a concrete plan of action. We must look closely at whether Japan, which holds a negative view toward a nuclear weapons convention, will continue to take part in these conferences.” He also suggested that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs be encouraged to host the fourth conference in Japan.
The NPDI, set to hold its meeting of foreign ministers soon in Hiroshima, is composed of 12 non-nuclear nations, including Japan and Australia, which are under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and Mexico. The members of the organization hold varying views on nuclear weapons, and the possibility exists that they will not come to agreement. “If that was the outcome,” Mr. Kawasaki said, “it would slow the current momentum and this would be unacceptable. The public must speak out and be heard.”
About 30 people heard Mr. Kawasaki speak, sponsored by the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, a citizens’ group.
(Originally published on March 10, 2014)
