Hidankyo holds meeting to commemorate effectuation of TPNW on “historic day”
Jan. 23, 2021
by Yo Kono, Staff Writer
On January 22, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) held a meeting in Japan’s National Diet Building in Tokyo to commemorate the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). A-bomb survivors living in the Tokyo metropolitan area who attended the meeting celebrated January 22 as a historic day. They urged the national government and eight ruling and opposition parties to make every effort to sign and ratify the treaty.
The meeting started with a silent tribute to those who had died in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Terumi Tanaka, 88, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, said in his greetings, “I’m pleased that nuclear weapons have been rendered illegal. I think we’ve accomplished half our goal of the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
Sueichi Kido, 81, the confederation’s secretary-general, provided a detailed explanation about a letter of request addressed to Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. In the letter, the organization criticized the government for not seeming to understand the unacceptable pain and suffering that A-bomb survivors have endured over the last 76 years and called for Japan’s participation in the TPNW. He also urged the party representatives who participated in the meeting to deliberate on the matter in the Diet.
Kozo Honsei, head of the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “In light of Japan’s position, we have no intention of signing the treaty,” in what amounted to a reiteration of the government’s long-standing policy. Hiroshi Hiraguchi, a representative from Hiroshima’s second district and secretary general of the LDP’s “Parliamentarians’ association to promote relief to A-bomb survivors, the abolition of nuclear weapons, and the realization of lasting world peace,” first paid respect to A-bomb survivors for repeatedly sharing their A-bomb experiences in the hopes of realizing the TPNW. “We are anxious at the present time about security issues involving North Korea. We would like to patiently keep an eye on the treaty and start our deliberations about participation.”
The meeting was originally to be attended by A-bomb survivors across Japan. Due to the spread of COVID-19, however, only those who reside in the metropolitan area were able to participate in the meeting.
(Originally published on January 23, 2021)
On January 22, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) held a meeting in Japan’s National Diet Building in Tokyo to commemorate the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). A-bomb survivors living in the Tokyo metropolitan area who attended the meeting celebrated January 22 as a historic day. They urged the national government and eight ruling and opposition parties to make every effort to sign and ratify the treaty.
The meeting started with a silent tribute to those who had died in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Terumi Tanaka, 88, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, said in his greetings, “I’m pleased that nuclear weapons have been rendered illegal. I think we’ve accomplished half our goal of the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
Sueichi Kido, 81, the confederation’s secretary-general, provided a detailed explanation about a letter of request addressed to Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. In the letter, the organization criticized the government for not seeming to understand the unacceptable pain and suffering that A-bomb survivors have endured over the last 76 years and called for Japan’s participation in the TPNW. He also urged the party representatives who participated in the meeting to deliberate on the matter in the Diet.
Kozo Honsei, head of the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “In light of Japan’s position, we have no intention of signing the treaty,” in what amounted to a reiteration of the government’s long-standing policy. Hiroshi Hiraguchi, a representative from Hiroshima’s second district and secretary general of the LDP’s “Parliamentarians’ association to promote relief to A-bomb survivors, the abolition of nuclear weapons, and the realization of lasting world peace,” first paid respect to A-bomb survivors for repeatedly sharing their A-bomb experiences in the hopes of realizing the TPNW. “We are anxious at the present time about security issues involving North Korea. We would like to patiently keep an eye on the treaty and start our deliberations about participation.”
The meeting was originally to be attended by A-bomb survivors across Japan. Due to the spread of COVID-19, however, only those who reside in the metropolitan area were able to participate in the meeting.
(Originally published on January 23, 2021)
