77.4 % of respondents support signing nuclear ban treaty: Survey by Nihon Hidankyo 703 lawmakers surveyed, response rate 30%, no response from prime minister
Oct. 15, 2021
by Koji Higuchi, Staff Writer
The result of a survey on opinions about signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was released by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) on October 14. The subjects of the survey were the 703 members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors (as of September 1). A total of 175 lawmakers, nearly 80 percent of the respondents, supported signing and ratifying the TPNW, which took effect in January this year. The result clearly showed the huge gap between the attitudes of those Diet members and the Japanese government, which turns its back on the treaty. But only 30 percent of those surveyed responded, and most of them belong to opposition parties. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida did not respond. The result also showed that the TPNW was not a matter of major concern for Diet members.
The result was reported during the two-day meeting of Nihon Hidankyo’s prefectural representatives held in Tokyo. Regional organizations and offices of the Nihon Hidankyo sent the questionnaires by mail or by hand to Diet members between July and September. By the end of September, 226 of them, or 32.1 percent of the subjects, responded.
To the question “Do you demand that the Japanese government sign the treaty?” 175, or 77.4 percent of the respondents, said, “Yes.” The treaty totally bans nuclear weapons. Forty-seven respondents, or 20.8 percent, answered, “Yes and no.” No respondent answered “No.” The remaining four respondents did not give an answer to this question.
The questionnaire had a more straightforward question about the ratification of the treaty, which requires approval by the Diet. To this question, 174 respondents, or 77.0 percent, answered, “Yes,” and no respondent answered “No.” Forty-six, or 20.4 percent, said, “Yes and no.” Two, or 0.1 percent, said, “I do not know.” No respondent answered “No.” The remaining four did not give an answer.
By political party, 91 respondents belong to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 45 the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), 25 the Japanese Communist Party, 21 Komeito, 14 Japan Innovation Party, eight Democratic Party for the People, two each to Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Social Democratic Party, and 18 independents.
Comparing the parties by their attitudes to signing the treaty, all 25 respondents of the Communist Party supported signing the treaty. More than 90 percent of those belonging to the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito did so, but less than 30 percent of the respondents belonging to the LDP supported it.
Nihon Hidankyo will release each respondent’s answers on the organization’s website on October 18. Sueichi Kido, 81, the secretary-general of the organization, commented on the fact that only 30 percent of the subjects responded. “My impression is that Diet members are not serious enough yet. We will continue to respect hibakusha’s wish and call on the government to sign and ratify the treaty,” he said.
(Originally published on October 15, 2021)
The result of a survey on opinions about signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was released by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) on October 14. The subjects of the survey were the 703 members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors (as of September 1). A total of 175 lawmakers, nearly 80 percent of the respondents, supported signing and ratifying the TPNW, which took effect in January this year. The result clearly showed the huge gap between the attitudes of those Diet members and the Japanese government, which turns its back on the treaty. But only 30 percent of those surveyed responded, and most of them belong to opposition parties. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida did not respond. The result also showed that the TPNW was not a matter of major concern for Diet members.
The result was reported during the two-day meeting of Nihon Hidankyo’s prefectural representatives held in Tokyo. Regional organizations and offices of the Nihon Hidankyo sent the questionnaires by mail or by hand to Diet members between July and September. By the end of September, 226 of them, or 32.1 percent of the subjects, responded.
To the question “Do you demand that the Japanese government sign the treaty?” 175, or 77.4 percent of the respondents, said, “Yes.” The treaty totally bans nuclear weapons. Forty-seven respondents, or 20.8 percent, answered, “Yes and no.” No respondent answered “No.” The remaining four respondents did not give an answer to this question.
The questionnaire had a more straightforward question about the ratification of the treaty, which requires approval by the Diet. To this question, 174 respondents, or 77.0 percent, answered, “Yes,” and no respondent answered “No.” Forty-six, or 20.4 percent, said, “Yes and no.” Two, or 0.1 percent, said, “I do not know.” No respondent answered “No.” The remaining four did not give an answer.
By political party, 91 respondents belong to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 45 the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), 25 the Japanese Communist Party, 21 Komeito, 14 Japan Innovation Party, eight Democratic Party for the People, two each to Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Social Democratic Party, and 18 independents.
Comparing the parties by their attitudes to signing the treaty, all 25 respondents of the Communist Party supported signing the treaty. More than 90 percent of those belonging to the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito did so, but less than 30 percent of the respondents belonging to the LDP supported it.
Nihon Hidankyo will release each respondent’s answers on the organization’s website on October 18. Sueichi Kido, 81, the secretary-general of the organization, commented on the fact that only 30 percent of the subjects responded. “My impression is that Diet members are not serious enough yet. We will continue to respect hibakusha’s wish and call on the government to sign and ratify the treaty,” he said.
(Originally published on October 15, 2021)
