Messages from Mayors for Peace: 15 mayors from Kanagawa and Shizuoka Prefectures
Feb. 18, 2015
1.Tsuneyoshi Kobayashi, Mayor of Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Lasting world peace is our common desire. We must hand down a peaceful, beautiful earth to future generations.
In order to bring about a peaceful, safe international community, Atsugi City issued a declaration in 1993 making the city a nuclear-free city of peace and has worked to raise awareness of peace.
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war amid a growing number of citizens who know nothing of war, we will renew our pledge to seek peace and to convey the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace to the children who will lead the next generation.
2.Matsutaro Takayama, Mayor of Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Seventy years have passed since the atomic bombings. But our memories of the ravages of war and of nuclear weapons must not be forgotten. I sincerely hope for a world in which the children of the future can forever live in peace.
Every year in Isehara City we hold a “peace gathering.” At this event junior high school students who have been sent to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Ceremony report on their experiences, and we convey the devastation of the atomic bombing to the younger generation and tell them about the preciousness of peace. Along with the citizens of Hiroshima, we will continue to work to create lasting peace and abolish nuclear weapons.
3.Masaru Uchino, Mayor of Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Nearly 70 years have passed since the day when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, taking many precious lives in an instant. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the issuance of a declaration making Ebina City a city of peace.
Today, when the number of those who know nothing of war is growing, as citizens of Japan, the only nation to have experienced atomic bombings, we have a duty to call for lasting world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons.
For the children who will lead the next generation, we will tell them as well as the world of the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
4. Yoshiyuki Furuya, Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, the number of those who experienced the war is declining, and not only the war itself but the postwar era are fading from memory.
Since the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, parents and children have been invited to visit Hiroshima as part of a special program conducted by our city, and nearly 200 parents and children have participated. After their trip the children realize that the peaceful lives they enjoy today were built on the sacrifices of many people.
War is tragic. That is why we must hand down our tragic memories and our desire for peace to future generations.
5. Ryuichi Hirai, Mayor of Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Although nearly 70 years have passed since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, conflicts continue throughout the world, and people still face the threat of nuclear weapons.
In April 2004 our city issued a Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration. We will continue to send second-year junior high school students to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and undertake various other efforts along with our citizens, such as our “peace messenger” program to learn about and convey the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace, and persevere in our efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and bring about a lasting peace.
6. Katsuhiro Ochiai, Mayor of Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
With a desire for lasting peace and to protect the earth for a bright future, in December 1985, Hiratsuka City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. Since then we have carried out various programs to promote peace under the slogan, “I love peace.”
Hiratsuka City was bombed during the war, and many areas of the city were burned to the ground. We believe it is critical for us to convey a message of peace to the next generation in order to ensure that this kind of calamity is never repeated.
In cooperation with Hiroshima and many other cities of the world, we will redouble our efforts to bring about a peaceful society without nuclear weapons where citizens can live without fear.
7. Hideo Yoshida, Mayor of Miura City, Kanagawa
Miura City is a quiet fishing town that is known for Misaki tuna. But it experienced the tragedy of contamination of fishing boats following the 1954 tests of hydrogen bombs on Bikini Atoll by the United States. In light of this history, the city issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration, with a strong desire for a peaceful world. This fiscal year, the 60th anniversary of the Bikini incident, we planted a seedling from a Chinese parasol tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which we received from Mayors for Peace. As we mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, we will further advance our efforts to bring about a non-nuclear, peaceful world in the hope of passing on this peace-loving spirit to the next generation.
8. Shuhei Kato, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
In June 1985 our city issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. We have held peace-related programs and continue to emphasize to our citizens the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
This year will mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war. As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, Japan must cooperate with Hiroshima, Nagasaki and all of the municipalities throughout the country to bring about a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.
9. Satoru Ohki , Mayor of Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Located near the center of Kanagawa Prefecture, Yamato City has the second highest population density in the prefecture. The Atsugi Air Base, which is shared by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy, is located in our city, and while we are troubled by noise and concern about accidents, we are also keenly aware of the preciousness of peace.
We have taken steps toward peace, issuing a Peace City Declaration in 1985 and becoming a member of Mayors for Peace in 2009. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war and the atomic bombings. We will work more actively to bring about a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.
10. Yuichi Fukawa, Mayor of Kaisei Town, Kanagawa Prefecture
This year will mark 70 years since our country became the only nation to experience atomic bombings. I would like to take this opportunity to honor the memory of the victims of the atomic bombings and express my heartfelt sympathy to those who are still suffering the effects.
As citizens of Japan, we are living witnesses to this sad, painful history. We must continue to convey the horrors of nuclear weapons and the preciousness of peace more strongly than anyone.
Along with the other members of Mayors for Peace, we will increase our efforts to bring about “a world without nuclear weapons.”
I would like to conclude my message with a hope for the success of the further endeavors of Hiroshima, the international city of peace and culture.
11. Toshio Kimura, Mayor of Samukawa Town, Kanagawa Prefecture
Japan, the only nation in the world to have suffered atomic bombings, knows the horrors of war and nuclear weapons better than any country. In order to ensure that such calamities never occur again, we have a duty to continue to call for the elimination of nuclear weapons, and to convey the preciousness of peace to the younger generation, the leaders of the future, ensuring that our terrible experiences are not forgotten.
Hoping for lasting world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons, in 1985 Samukawa Town issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. Along with the citizens of our town, I will continue to work toward a world in which everyone can live life in peace.
12. Hajime Mikami, Mayor of Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture
At peace-related gatherings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki two years ago, I said, “Along with calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, we must also oppose nuclear power plants.” That is because, although they are not weapons for attacking another country, the moment nuclear power plants are targeted by enemy missiles, they become nuclear weapons that can wipe out a nation’s citizens, resulting in exposure to radiation like that which occurred after the accident at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima on March 11, 2011.
The suffering caused by exposure to radiation that was experienced by people in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima must never be repeated.
13. Hideyuki Harada, Mayor of Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Nuclear weapons are capable of destroying the global environment and pose a threat to human life. People throughout the world share a desire for the abolition of these weapons in order to bring about a peaceful society.
Reflecting the commitment of our citizens, whose goal is to create a peaceful community, on May 16, 2015, Fukuroi City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration.
In honor of this declaration, we planted trees grown from two that survived the atomic bombings: a Chinese parasol tree from Hiroshima and a camphor tree from Nagasaki. These trees are now flourishing here, far from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We also plan to send junior high school students to Hiroshima to attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony and carry out other efforts to convey the preciousness of peace to future generations.
I sincerely hope that the desire for peace and the circle of those who are making efforts to achieve that goal will flourish around the world like our Chinese parasol and camphor trees.
14. Yoshimasa Konagai, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings, I would like to honor the memory of the souls of the departed.
In 1985 Fuji City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. And, with the hope of lasting peace, every year around the time of the anniversary of the end of the war we hold a small photo exhibition on the atomic bombings to let people know of the horror and misery of the atomic bombings.
As citizens of the only nation to suffer atomic bombings, we must consider peace, tell the next generation of our experiences, and continue to make earnest efforts to completely eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.
I sincerely hope that the circle of peace-loving people will widen throughout the world.
15. Hideo Endo, Mayor of Nagaizumi Town, Shizuoka Prefecture
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war, I would like to first express my sympathy for those who lost their lives as a result of the war and nuclear weapons. In 2006 Nagaizumi Town issued a Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration. We have been calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and the creation of a peaceful world. In particular, every year we send junior high school students from our town to Hiroshima for peace education so that young people, who did not experience the war, can learn about the horrors of nuclear weapons, the miseries of war and the preciousness of peace.
Japan is the only nation in the world to have experienced atomic bombings, and it is important for Japan to tell the people of the world of the need to eliminate nuclear weapons and to build a peaceful world. As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war, I would like to offer this message of peace in the hope that these efforts will gain further momentum.
16. Senshu Shiina, Mayor of Sammu City, Chiba Prefecture
As conflicts continue around the world and many precious lives are lost, nuclear weapons continue to pose a tremendous threat.
As the only nation to experience atomic bombings, I believe Japan has a duty to tell the people of the world of the horrors of nuclear weapons and the preciousness of peace and to pass on to future generations the great legacy that our forefathers have left us.
Lasting world peace is the shared hope of humankind. As we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, Sammu City too will call for the elimination of all nuclear weapons and work to bring about a world of lasting peace, never forgetting the sad experiences of the past.
Lasting world peace is our common desire. We must hand down a peaceful, beautiful earth to future generations.
In order to bring about a peaceful, safe international community, Atsugi City issued a declaration in 1993 making the city a nuclear-free city of peace and has worked to raise awareness of peace.
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war amid a growing number of citizens who know nothing of war, we will renew our pledge to seek peace and to convey the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace to the children who will lead the next generation.
2.Matsutaro Takayama, Mayor of Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Seventy years have passed since the atomic bombings. But our memories of the ravages of war and of nuclear weapons must not be forgotten. I sincerely hope for a world in which the children of the future can forever live in peace.
Every year in Isehara City we hold a “peace gathering.” At this event junior high school students who have been sent to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Ceremony report on their experiences, and we convey the devastation of the atomic bombing to the younger generation and tell them about the preciousness of peace. Along with the citizens of Hiroshima, we will continue to work to create lasting peace and abolish nuclear weapons.
3.Masaru Uchino, Mayor of Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Nearly 70 years have passed since the day when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, taking many precious lives in an instant. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the issuance of a declaration making Ebina City a city of peace.
Today, when the number of those who know nothing of war is growing, as citizens of Japan, the only nation to have experienced atomic bombings, we have a duty to call for lasting world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons.
For the children who will lead the next generation, we will tell them as well as the world of the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
4. Yoshiyuki Furuya, Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, the number of those who experienced the war is declining, and not only the war itself but the postwar era are fading from memory.
Since the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, parents and children have been invited to visit Hiroshima as part of a special program conducted by our city, and nearly 200 parents and children have participated. After their trip the children realize that the peaceful lives they enjoy today were built on the sacrifices of many people.
War is tragic. That is why we must hand down our tragic memories and our desire for peace to future generations.
5. Ryuichi Hirai, Mayor of Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Although nearly 70 years have passed since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, conflicts continue throughout the world, and people still face the threat of nuclear weapons.
In April 2004 our city issued a Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration. We will continue to send second-year junior high school students to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and undertake various other efforts along with our citizens, such as our “peace messenger” program to learn about and convey the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace, and persevere in our efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and bring about a lasting peace.
6. Katsuhiro Ochiai, Mayor of Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture
With a desire for lasting peace and to protect the earth for a bright future, in December 1985, Hiratsuka City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. Since then we have carried out various programs to promote peace under the slogan, “I love peace.”
Hiratsuka City was bombed during the war, and many areas of the city were burned to the ground. We believe it is critical for us to convey a message of peace to the next generation in order to ensure that this kind of calamity is never repeated.
In cooperation with Hiroshima and many other cities of the world, we will redouble our efforts to bring about a peaceful society without nuclear weapons where citizens can live without fear.
7. Hideo Yoshida, Mayor of Miura City, Kanagawa
Miura City is a quiet fishing town that is known for Misaki tuna. But it experienced the tragedy of contamination of fishing boats following the 1954 tests of hydrogen bombs on Bikini Atoll by the United States. In light of this history, the city issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration, with a strong desire for a peaceful world. This fiscal year, the 60th anniversary of the Bikini incident, we planted a seedling from a Chinese parasol tree that survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which we received from Mayors for Peace. As we mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, we will further advance our efforts to bring about a non-nuclear, peaceful world in the hope of passing on this peace-loving spirit to the next generation.
8. Shuhei Kato, Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
In June 1985 our city issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. We have held peace-related programs and continue to emphasize to our citizens the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.
This year will mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war. As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, Japan must cooperate with Hiroshima, Nagasaki and all of the municipalities throughout the country to bring about a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.
9. Satoru Ohki , Mayor of Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Located near the center of Kanagawa Prefecture, Yamato City has the second highest population density in the prefecture. The Atsugi Air Base, which is shared by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy, is located in our city, and while we are troubled by noise and concern about accidents, we are also keenly aware of the preciousness of peace.
We have taken steps toward peace, issuing a Peace City Declaration in 1985 and becoming a member of Mayors for Peace in 2009. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war and the atomic bombings. We will work more actively to bring about a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.
10. Yuichi Fukawa, Mayor of Kaisei Town, Kanagawa Prefecture
This year will mark 70 years since our country became the only nation to experience atomic bombings. I would like to take this opportunity to honor the memory of the victims of the atomic bombings and express my heartfelt sympathy to those who are still suffering the effects.
As citizens of Japan, we are living witnesses to this sad, painful history. We must continue to convey the horrors of nuclear weapons and the preciousness of peace more strongly than anyone.
Along with the other members of Mayors for Peace, we will increase our efforts to bring about “a world without nuclear weapons.”
I would like to conclude my message with a hope for the success of the further endeavors of Hiroshima, the international city of peace and culture.
11. Toshio Kimura, Mayor of Samukawa Town, Kanagawa Prefecture
Japan, the only nation in the world to have suffered atomic bombings, knows the horrors of war and nuclear weapons better than any country. In order to ensure that such calamities never occur again, we have a duty to continue to call for the elimination of nuclear weapons, and to convey the preciousness of peace to the younger generation, the leaders of the future, ensuring that our terrible experiences are not forgotten.
Hoping for lasting world peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons, in 1985 Samukawa Town issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. Along with the citizens of our town, I will continue to work toward a world in which everyone can live life in peace.
12. Hajime Mikami, Mayor of Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture
At peace-related gatherings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki two years ago, I said, “Along with calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons, we must also oppose nuclear power plants.” That is because, although they are not weapons for attacking another country, the moment nuclear power plants are targeted by enemy missiles, they become nuclear weapons that can wipe out a nation’s citizens, resulting in exposure to radiation like that which occurred after the accident at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima on March 11, 2011.
The suffering caused by exposure to radiation that was experienced by people in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Fukushima must never be repeated.
13. Hideyuki Harada, Mayor of Fukuroi City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Nuclear weapons are capable of destroying the global environment and pose a threat to human life. People throughout the world share a desire for the abolition of these weapons in order to bring about a peaceful society.
Reflecting the commitment of our citizens, whose goal is to create a peaceful community, on May 16, 2015, Fukuroi City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration.
In honor of this declaration, we planted trees grown from two that survived the atomic bombings: a Chinese parasol tree from Hiroshima and a camphor tree from Nagasaki. These trees are now flourishing here, far from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We also plan to send junior high school students to Hiroshima to attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony and carry out other efforts to convey the preciousness of peace to future generations.
I sincerely hope that the desire for peace and the circle of those who are making efforts to achieve that goal will flourish around the world like our Chinese parasol and camphor trees.
14. Yoshimasa Konagai, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture
As we approach the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings, I would like to honor the memory of the souls of the departed.
In 1985 Fuji City issued a Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration. And, with the hope of lasting peace, every year around the time of the anniversary of the end of the war we hold a small photo exhibition on the atomic bombings to let people know of the horror and misery of the atomic bombings.
As citizens of the only nation to suffer atomic bombings, we must consider peace, tell the next generation of our experiences, and continue to make earnest efforts to completely eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.
I sincerely hope that the circle of peace-loving people will widen throughout the world.
15. Hideo Endo, Mayor of Nagaizumi Town, Shizuoka Prefecture
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war, I would like to first express my sympathy for those who lost their lives as a result of the war and nuclear weapons. In 2006 Nagaizumi Town issued a Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration. We have been calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and the creation of a peaceful world. In particular, every year we send junior high school students from our town to Hiroshima for peace education so that young people, who did not experience the war, can learn about the horrors of nuclear weapons, the miseries of war and the preciousness of peace.
Japan is the only nation in the world to have experienced atomic bombings, and it is important for Japan to tell the people of the world of the need to eliminate nuclear weapons and to build a peaceful world. As we mark the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of the war, I would like to offer this message of peace in the hope that these efforts will gain further momentum.
16. Senshu Shiina, Mayor of Sammu City, Chiba Prefecture
As conflicts continue around the world and many precious lives are lost, nuclear weapons continue to pose a tremendous threat.
As the only nation to experience atomic bombings, I believe Japan has a duty to tell the people of the world of the horrors of nuclear weapons and the preciousness of peace and to pass on to future generations the great legacy that our forefathers have left us.
Lasting world peace is the shared hope of humankind. As we approach the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, Sammu City too will call for the elimination of all nuclear weapons and work to bring about a world of lasting peace, never forgetting the sad experiences of the past.
