Nihon Hidankyo members call on Disarmament Ambassador of Japan to sign and ratify nuclear weapons ban treaty
May 2, 2019
by Junji Akechi, Staff Writer
NEW YORK — On April 30, Sueichi Kido, 79, the secretary general of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), and Jiro Hamasumi, 73, the group’s assistant secretary general, met with Nobushige Takamizawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York. Mr. Kido and Mr. Hamasumi handed Mr. Takamizawa a written request and asked that Japan sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by saying, “Nuclear weapons and human beings cannot coexist. We hope you will take a bold step toward realizing nuclear abolition.”
The meeting was held behind closed doors, except for the start. Mr. Takamizawa once again explained the Japanese government’s policy, that it does not intend to sign or ratify the treaty for the time being. He said, “As there are differences of opinion regarding the nuclear weapons ban treaty, we have to think about what sort of path we should follow to fulfill the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.”
After the meeting concluded, Mr. Kido responded to questions from the media and said, “I believe that the position of the A-bombed nation must take into account the consequences of the atomic bombings to human beings as its starting point. Just listening to comments about international conditions is unbearable to us because it makes us feel like we’re moving in a direction where the issue can never be resolved.” Mr. Hamasumi added, “We’ve been told to be more realistic, but our reality is all the damage done by the atomic bombings, damage that we have experienced with our bodies.”
The two men are visiting New York to take part in the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2020. On this day, Yayoi Tsuchida, 62, the deputy secretary general of the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) also spoke to Mr. Takamizawa and requested that Japan sign and ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty.
(Originally published on May 2, 2019)
NEW YORK — On April 30, Sueichi Kido, 79, the secretary general of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), and Jiro Hamasumi, 73, the group’s assistant secretary general, met with Nobushige Takamizawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York. Mr. Kido and Mr. Hamasumi handed Mr. Takamizawa a written request and asked that Japan sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by saying, “Nuclear weapons and human beings cannot coexist. We hope you will take a bold step toward realizing nuclear abolition.”
The meeting was held behind closed doors, except for the start. Mr. Takamizawa once again explained the Japanese government’s policy, that it does not intend to sign or ratify the treaty for the time being. He said, “As there are differences of opinion regarding the nuclear weapons ban treaty, we have to think about what sort of path we should follow to fulfill the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.”
After the meeting concluded, Mr. Kido responded to questions from the media and said, “I believe that the position of the A-bombed nation must take into account the consequences of the atomic bombings to human beings as its starting point. Just listening to comments about international conditions is unbearable to us because it makes us feel like we’re moving in a direction where the issue can never be resolved.” Mr. Hamasumi added, “We’ve been told to be more realistic, but our reality is all the damage done by the atomic bombings, damage that we have experienced with our bodies.”
The two men are visiting New York to take part in the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2020. On this day, Yayoi Tsuchida, 62, the deputy secretary general of the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) also spoke to Mr. Takamizawa and requested that Japan sign and ratify the nuclear weapons ban treaty.
(Originally published on May 2, 2019)
