Seven organizations of A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima to protest right of collective self-defense on August 6
Jul. 8, 2014
Seven organizations of A-bomb survivors, groups based in Hiroshima, met in Naka Ward on July 2 and agreed to convey their message directly to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on August 6. On that day, the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, a meeting in Hiroshima will be held to hear requests from representatives of the survivors, and this opportunity will be used to protest the administration’s approval for exercising the right of collective self-defense.
Nine people will attend the meeting, including those from two groups which bear the same name, the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Survivors Organizations; the Committee Seeking Measures for the Korean A-bomb Victims; the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima and other organizations. On July 1, Mr. Abe’s administration obtained Cabinet approval for exercising the right of collective self-defense. Responding to this move, the seven organizations decided that Yukio Yoshioka, secretary-general of the Hiroshima Alliance of A-bomb Survivor Organizations, will convey their collective message to the prime minister. The details of the wording have yet to be finalized.
Mr. Yoshioka commented, “For more than half a century, A-bomb survivors have been calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and war. It is absurd to permit the right of collective self-defense by simply obtaining Cabinet approval. We can never accept this.”
The meeting to hear requests from representatives of survivors has been organized by the City of Hiroshima almost every year since 1976, and is attended by the prime minister and/or minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. This year, too, the City of Hiroshima has requested that Mr. Abe and Norihisa Tamura, the minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, attend the meeting.
(Originally published on July 3, 2014)
Nine people will attend the meeting, including those from two groups which bear the same name, the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Survivors Organizations; the Committee Seeking Measures for the Korean A-bomb Victims; the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima and other organizations. On July 1, Mr. Abe’s administration obtained Cabinet approval for exercising the right of collective self-defense. Responding to this move, the seven organizations decided that Yukio Yoshioka, secretary-general of the Hiroshima Alliance of A-bomb Survivor Organizations, will convey their collective message to the prime minister. The details of the wording have yet to be finalized.
Mr. Yoshioka commented, “For more than half a century, A-bomb survivors have been calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and war. It is absurd to permit the right of collective self-defense by simply obtaining Cabinet approval. We can never accept this.”
The meeting to hear requests from representatives of survivors has been organized by the City of Hiroshima almost every year since 1976, and is attended by the prime minister and/or minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. This year, too, the City of Hiroshima has requested that Mr. Abe and Norihisa Tamura, the minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, attend the meeting.
(Originally published on July 3, 2014)
