Seven A-bomb survivors’ groups to urge Japanese government to sign and ratify nuclear weapons ban treaty
Jul. 2, 2019
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On July 1, seven Hiroshima A-bomb survivors’ groups held a meeting at Hiroshima City Hall and determined their plan to urge the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. They will call on the government to do so in “a meeting with representatives of A-bomb survivors” organized by the city government and held in the city on this year’s anniversary of the atomic bombing. They believe that having the A-bombed nation sign and ratify the treaty is an important step forward for advancing efforts for the abolition of nuclear weapons. They will be making this appeal for the third year in a row, from 2017, when the treaty was adopted at the United Nations.
Nine people from the seven A-bomb survivors’ groups, including the two Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo), discussed their plan during the meeting behind closed doors. On this year’s anniversary of the A-bombing, the representative of the Hiroshima Alliance of A-bomb Survivor Organizations will urge the government to sign and ratify the treaty as a joint message from the seven groups.
Regarding the individual requests of each organization, the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organization (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi) will demand that the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF, located in Minami Ward), whose relocation to a facility in Naka Ward was confirmed as feasible by an investigation conducted last year, be relocated as swiftly as possible and improve its research that can be useful for peace. The other Hidankyo group (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma) will demand that the designated black rain area be expanded.
After the meeting, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 77, the vice chair of the Hidankyo chaired by Sunao Tsuboi, stressed, “We must continue to call on the government to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, though it remains reluctant to do so despite our demands.” Kunihiko Sakuma, 74, the chair of the other Hidankyo, also said, “The treaty is the first step to the abolition of nuclear weapons,” and again emphasized the importance of the treaty.
The City of Hiroshima has called on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takumi Nemoto to attend this “meeting with representatives of A-bomb survivors” in conjunction with the Peace Memorial Ceremony. To date, a reply has not yet been received.
(Originally published on July 2, 2019)
On July 1, seven Hiroshima A-bomb survivors’ groups held a meeting at Hiroshima City Hall and determined their plan to urge the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. They will call on the government to do so in “a meeting with representatives of A-bomb survivors” organized by the city government and held in the city on this year’s anniversary of the atomic bombing. They believe that having the A-bombed nation sign and ratify the treaty is an important step forward for advancing efforts for the abolition of nuclear weapons. They will be making this appeal for the third year in a row, from 2017, when the treaty was adopted at the United Nations.
Nine people from the seven A-bomb survivors’ groups, including the two Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Prefectural Hidankyo), discussed their plan during the meeting behind closed doors. On this year’s anniversary of the A-bombing, the representative of the Hiroshima Alliance of A-bomb Survivor Organizations will urge the government to sign and ratify the treaty as a joint message from the seven groups.
Regarding the individual requests of each organization, the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organization (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi) will demand that the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF, located in Minami Ward), whose relocation to a facility in Naka Ward was confirmed as feasible by an investigation conducted last year, be relocated as swiftly as possible and improve its research that can be useful for peace. The other Hidankyo group (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma) will demand that the designated black rain area be expanded.
After the meeting, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 77, the vice chair of the Hidankyo chaired by Sunao Tsuboi, stressed, “We must continue to call on the government to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, though it remains reluctant to do so despite our demands.” Kunihiko Sakuma, 74, the chair of the other Hidankyo, also said, “The treaty is the first step to the abolition of nuclear weapons,” and again emphasized the importance of the treaty.
The City of Hiroshima has called on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takumi Nemoto to attend this “meeting with representatives of A-bomb survivors” in conjunction with the Peace Memorial Ceremony. To date, a reply has not yet been received.
(Originally published on July 2, 2019)
