Responses from Hiroshima citizens and tourists to the nuclear ban treaty’s entry into force next January: “Signs of hope” and “Increase number of participating countries”
Oct. 26, 2020
On October 25, when the announcement was made that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will enter into force next year in January, citizens and tourists in the A-bombed city of Hiroshima welcomed the news and called on the Japanese government to ratify the treaty.
Eiryu Takayama, 48, a company employee from the city’s Nishi Ward who was visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (in city’s Naka Ward) to walk his dog, spoke firmly. “It’s unlikely that all nuclear weapons will be abolished anytime soon. But, effectuation of the treaty is a tremendous thing,” he said. “The Japanese prime minister should take action toward the abolition of nuclear weapons, not simply show up at the peace memorial ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
Kiyoko Hatsuya, 65, is a volunteer guide from Minami Ward whose father is an A-bomb survivor who happened to be guiding elementary school students on a school trip around Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. She said, “I saw signs of hope for the abolition of nuclear weapons. I want Japan, the only A-bombed nation in the world, to take seriously the fact that many countries are in support of the treaty.”
Soshi Urakami, 34, a company employee from Tokyo visiting the A-bomb Dome on a sightseeing trip, called for nuclear weapon states to participate in the treaty. “As Japan does not possess nuclear weapons, there is no reason not to join the treaty,” added Mr. Urakami. “I hope that even though the country is protected under the nuclear umbrella it will join the treaty framework and make efforts to increase the number of participating countries.”
Mahiru Harada, 17, a third-year student at Motomachi High School from Miyoshi City, is involved in a project to preserve A-bomb survivors’ experiences of the day of the atomic bombing through her drawings. “I often draw scenes in which a beloved of A-bomb survivors dies a tragic death in front of their eyes. I want to show my pictures to people from countries that possess nuclear weapons or that oppose the nuclear ban treaty and ask, ‘What would you think if something like the scenes depicted in the drawings happened now?,’” she said. “I want them to think about nuclear weapons and the nuclear ban treaty as issues directly affecting them.”
(Originally published on October 26, 2020)
TPNW’s entry into force provides ray of hope to Hiroshima’s earnest desire for nuclear abolition: A-bomb survivors vow to continue speaking out
Eiryu Takayama, 48, a company employee from the city’s Nishi Ward who was visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (in city’s Naka Ward) to walk his dog, spoke firmly. “It’s unlikely that all nuclear weapons will be abolished anytime soon. But, effectuation of the treaty is a tremendous thing,” he said. “The Japanese prime minister should take action toward the abolition of nuclear weapons, not simply show up at the peace memorial ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
Kiyoko Hatsuya, 65, is a volunteer guide from Minami Ward whose father is an A-bomb survivor who happened to be guiding elementary school students on a school trip around Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. She said, “I saw signs of hope for the abolition of nuclear weapons. I want Japan, the only A-bombed nation in the world, to take seriously the fact that many countries are in support of the treaty.”
Soshi Urakami, 34, a company employee from Tokyo visiting the A-bomb Dome on a sightseeing trip, called for nuclear weapon states to participate in the treaty. “As Japan does not possess nuclear weapons, there is no reason not to join the treaty,” added Mr. Urakami. “I hope that even though the country is protected under the nuclear umbrella it will join the treaty framework and make efforts to increase the number of participating countries.”
Mahiru Harada, 17, a third-year student at Motomachi High School from Miyoshi City, is involved in a project to preserve A-bomb survivors’ experiences of the day of the atomic bombing through her drawings. “I often draw scenes in which a beloved of A-bomb survivors dies a tragic death in front of their eyes. I want to show my pictures to people from countries that possess nuclear weapons or that oppose the nuclear ban treaty and ask, ‘What would you think if something like the scenes depicted in the drawings happened now?,’” she said. “I want them to think about nuclear weapons and the nuclear ban treaty as issues directly affecting them.”
(Originally published on October 26, 2020)
TPNW’s entry into force provides ray of hope to Hiroshima’s earnest desire for nuclear abolition: A-bomb survivors vow to continue speaking out
