Hiroshima and Nagasaki mayors request Prime Minister Kishida’s participation in meeting of States Parties to TPNW
Nov. 19, 2021
by Koji Higuchi, Staff Writer
On November 18, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who serves as president of Mayors for Peace, together with Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, one of the organization’s vice presidents, visited Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (representing Hiroshima’s District No. 1) at his official residence in Tokyo and handed him a written request demanding his participation as an observer in the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The meeting is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, in March next year. Mr. Kishida reiterated his cautious stance about signing and ratifying the treaty without signaling his intent regarding whether or not he would attend the meeting.
Given the attitude of Japan’s national government, which has consistently turned its back on the TPNW, the mayors’ written request included statements calling on Mr. Kishida to join the meeting as an observer, as well as to sign and ratify the treaty as quickly as possible. The gathering between the mayors and the prime minister was held behind closed doors.
According to the two mayors in a meeting with the press, Mr. Kishida revealed his aim of realizing a world without nuclear weapons, but he stressed the idea that he first wanted to prioritize the building of trust with Japan’s ally the United States. He was said to have explained that what matters with respect to the elimination of nuclear weapons are the procedures to make that happen and added that if Japan were to take independent action related to the TPNW meeting issue, things might not work out as well as hoped.
While showing sympathy regarding Mr. Kishida’s stance, Mr. Matsui said, “I want things to proceed more quickly relating to the aim of realizing a world free of nuclear weapons.” The Mayors for Peace organization now has a membership of 8,054 cities from 165 nations and regions.
(Originally published on November 19, 2021)
On November 18, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who serves as president of Mayors for Peace, together with Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, one of the organization’s vice presidents, visited Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (representing Hiroshima’s District No. 1) at his official residence in Tokyo and handed him a written request demanding his participation as an observer in the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The meeting is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, in March next year. Mr. Kishida reiterated his cautious stance about signing and ratifying the treaty without signaling his intent regarding whether or not he would attend the meeting.
Given the attitude of Japan’s national government, which has consistently turned its back on the TPNW, the mayors’ written request included statements calling on Mr. Kishida to join the meeting as an observer, as well as to sign and ratify the treaty as quickly as possible. The gathering between the mayors and the prime minister was held behind closed doors.
According to the two mayors in a meeting with the press, Mr. Kishida revealed his aim of realizing a world without nuclear weapons, but he stressed the idea that he first wanted to prioritize the building of trust with Japan’s ally the United States. He was said to have explained that what matters with respect to the elimination of nuclear weapons are the procedures to make that happen and added that if Japan were to take independent action related to the TPNW meeting issue, things might not work out as well as hoped.
While showing sympathy regarding Mr. Kishida’s stance, Mr. Matsui said, “I want things to proceed more quickly relating to the aim of realizing a world free of nuclear weapons.” The Mayors for Peace organization now has a membership of 8,054 cities from 165 nations and regions.
(Originally published on November 19, 2021)
