Japan’s rejection of U.N. proposal to promote ratification of nuclear ban treaty prompts angry reaction in Hiroshima
Nov. 3, 2018
by Kyosuke Mizukawa and Michiko Tanaka, Staff Writers
On November 1, at the First Committee (on disarmament and international security) at the U.N. General Assembly, the Japanese government rejected a resolution to promote the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In response, A-bomb survivors and residents of Hiroshima who are engaged in efforts to support the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, a non-governmental organization) reacted with strong anger.
“The government’s stance is intolerable. Their commitment to abolishing nuclear weapons is only superficial, isn’t it?” questioned Kunihiko Sakuma, 74, angrily. Mr. Sakuma is the chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo). The two Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo organizations and various other organizations have been promoting the Hibakusha Appeal campaign to urge all countries to ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty, seeking to bring about the elimination of nuclear weapons as quickly as possible. The representatives of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) submitted a list of 8,300,000 signatures to the United Nations in October. They insist that if Japan, the only country to have ever been attacked by atomic bombs, takes the lead in efforts to ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty, other countries will follow suit, and that this can eventually contribute to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Japan’s resolution calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, which was recently presented to the United Nations, did not include direct mention of the nuclear weapons ban treaty out of consideration for the United States, because the United States protects Japan with the nuclear umbrella. Meanwhile, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 76, the vice chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo (chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), holds deep doubts with regard to the Japanese government’s stance, saying that he is unable to see any indication of the Japanese government’s claim that it is serving as a bridge between the nuclear nations and non-nuclear nations.
Haruko Moritaki, 79, the co-chair of the citizens’ group called the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), criticized the Japanese government by saying that the government’s stance, which is contrary to the international trend calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, makes it impossible for Japan to serve as a bridge and will only result in further widening the divide between the nuclear and non-nuclear states. She stresses the importance of Hiroshima citizens putting pressure on the government to ratify the treaty.
Akira Kawasaki, 49, a member of the international steering committee of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to help establish the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, said firmly, “The Japanese government voted no rather than abstain, which clearly shows the government’s negative view of the treaty. If the Japanese government would really like to serve as a bridge between the nuclear nations and non-nuclear nations, it must recognize the value of the nuclear weapons ban treaty.”
(Originally published on November 3, 2018)
On November 1, at the First Committee (on disarmament and international security) at the U.N. General Assembly, the Japanese government rejected a resolution to promote the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In response, A-bomb survivors and residents of Hiroshima who are engaged in efforts to support the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN, a non-governmental organization) reacted with strong anger.
“The government’s stance is intolerable. Their commitment to abolishing nuclear weapons is only superficial, isn’t it?” questioned Kunihiko Sakuma, 74, angrily. Mr. Sakuma is the chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo). The two Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo organizations and various other organizations have been promoting the Hibakusha Appeal campaign to urge all countries to ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty, seeking to bring about the elimination of nuclear weapons as quickly as possible. The representatives of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) submitted a list of 8,300,000 signatures to the United Nations in October. They insist that if Japan, the only country to have ever been attacked by atomic bombs, takes the lead in efforts to ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty, other countries will follow suit, and that this can eventually contribute to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Japan’s resolution calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, which was recently presented to the United Nations, did not include direct mention of the nuclear weapons ban treaty out of consideration for the United States, because the United States protects Japan with the nuclear umbrella. Meanwhile, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 76, the vice chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo (chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), holds deep doubts with regard to the Japanese government’s stance, saying that he is unable to see any indication of the Japanese government’s claim that it is serving as a bridge between the nuclear nations and non-nuclear nations.
Haruko Moritaki, 79, the co-chair of the citizens’ group called the Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (HANWA), criticized the Japanese government by saying that the government’s stance, which is contrary to the international trend calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, makes it impossible for Japan to serve as a bridge and will only result in further widening the divide between the nuclear and non-nuclear states. She stresses the importance of Hiroshima citizens putting pressure on the government to ratify the treaty.
Akira Kawasaki, 49, a member of the international steering committee of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to help establish the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, said firmly, “The Japanese government voted no rather than abstain, which clearly shows the government’s negative view of the treaty. If the Japanese government would really like to serve as a bridge between the nuclear nations and non-nuclear nations, it must recognize the value of the nuclear weapons ban treaty.”
(Originally published on November 3, 2018)
