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“Hiroshima Report” reflects lack of progress in nuclear disarmament

by Kyoji Matsumoto, Staff Writer

The “Hiroshima Report,” released by the Hiroshima prefectural government, reveals the lack of progress being made in nuclear disarmament around the world. North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, and there are other moves that run counter to the goal of disarmament. Those involved in producing this report hope that some positive results will come from the meeting of foreign ministers scheduled to take place in Hiroshima on April 10 and 11.

“It has to be said that the pace of nuclear disarmament is sluggish,” said a stern-faced Nobuyasu Abe, the vice chair of the promotion committee for the prefecture’s “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan, during a press conference on March 30 at which the report was released. Mr. Abe pointed to three factors behind this impasse: worsening relations between the United States and Russia, the situation in the Middle East, and military trends in China and North Korea.

Amid rising international tensions, the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was held in April and May of last year, collapsed and ended without adopting a final document due to a clash between the nuclear and non-nuclear nations. This also impacted the United Nations General Assembly held last December. Many countries opposed or abstained from voting for the adoption of a resolution on the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament. These facts are reflected in the “Hiroshima Report.”

Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation will be included in the agenda for the meeting of foreign ministers in Hiroshima. The prefectural government plans to distribute its report to the foreign ministers. Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki said during the press conference on March 30, “I hope Japan will lead the discussion and create a concrete action plan for nuclear disarmament. I also hope that the foreign ministers will discuss practical measures for nuclear non-proliferation including countermeasures against terrorist attacks.”

(Originally published on March 31, 2016)

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