Hiroshima Prefecture to establish ‘Group of Friends’ as early as fiscal 2023, calling on nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states to engage in discussions about nuclear abolition
Feb. 11, 2022
by Fumiyasu Miyano, Staff Writer
On February 10, the Hiroshima Prefectural government announced its concept concerning the launch of a ‘Group of Friends,’ in which both nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states would participate to achieve a world without nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the atomic bombings. The prefectural government aims to hold the group’s first meeting as early as fiscal 2023 with the aim of generating momentum for nuclear abolition through concerted efforts by participating nations, in what would be an attempt by a local government to lobby governments at the national level and to influence international politics.
Within the concept, the prefectural government will establish the goal of concluding an international agreement on nuclear abolition by 2030 and accomplishing the actual abolition of nuclear weapons by 2045. The prefectural government will recruit ‘friends,’ or allies, among nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states as well as countries reliant on nuclear deterrence for their security. The prefectural government aims to hold the first meeting of the group with at least five participating countries. Thereafter, the government will continue to hold meetings of the Group of Friends and increase membership in the body, while considering strategies for involving other nations and methods for concluding an international agreement for nuclear abolition.
An immediate focal point in implementing the concept of the group will be whether or not the prefectural government can find countries willing to play a leadership role, including one to serve as a host nation. Despite the lack of prospects for concrete action at present, the prefectural government has indicated it will call on countries to join the group by taking advantage of opportunities presented at such international conferences as the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Although the prefectural government will also lobby Japan's national government, which is reliant on the strategy of nuclear deterrence, to join the group, it has not determined the nation’s participation as a prerequisite for holding meetings of the Group of Friends.
At some point in fiscal 2022, the ‘Group for A Future Free of Nuclear Weapons (tentative name),’ in which non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Japan and overseas are to participate, will be established with the local public-private sector group Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe) at its core. In anticipation of expiration of the current UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030, that group organization and HOPe will join forces and seek to incorporate “achievement of a world without nuclear weapons” into the next set of development goals.
The prefectural government has included 1.6 million yen for preparations to establish the Group of Friends in its initial general account budget proposal for fiscal 2022, which was announced on February 10. The Peace Promotion Project Team in the prefectural government explained, “Setting this major goal, we hope to establish and expand the Group of Friends based on the expertise of many individuals.”
Within the framework of the Hiroshima Initiative, its global call to action formulated in March 2021, the prefectural government revealed annual objectives such as conclusion of an agreement on nuclear abolition among nuclear weapon states and other countries by 2030. The prefectural government established the HOPe organization in April 2021 as a body to promote such objectives.
(Originally published on February 11, 2022)
On February 10, the Hiroshima Prefectural government announced its concept concerning the launch of a ‘Group of Friends,’ in which both nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states would participate to achieve a world without nuclear weapons by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the atomic bombings. The prefectural government aims to hold the group’s first meeting as early as fiscal 2023 with the aim of generating momentum for nuclear abolition through concerted efforts by participating nations, in what would be an attempt by a local government to lobby governments at the national level and to influence international politics.
Within the concept, the prefectural government will establish the goal of concluding an international agreement on nuclear abolition by 2030 and accomplishing the actual abolition of nuclear weapons by 2045. The prefectural government will recruit ‘friends,’ or allies, among nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states as well as countries reliant on nuclear deterrence for their security. The prefectural government aims to hold the first meeting of the group with at least five participating countries. Thereafter, the government will continue to hold meetings of the Group of Friends and increase membership in the body, while considering strategies for involving other nations and methods for concluding an international agreement for nuclear abolition.
An immediate focal point in implementing the concept of the group will be whether or not the prefectural government can find countries willing to play a leadership role, including one to serve as a host nation. Despite the lack of prospects for concrete action at present, the prefectural government has indicated it will call on countries to join the group by taking advantage of opportunities presented at such international conferences as the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Although the prefectural government will also lobby Japan's national government, which is reliant on the strategy of nuclear deterrence, to join the group, it has not determined the nation’s participation as a prerequisite for holding meetings of the Group of Friends.
At some point in fiscal 2022, the ‘Group for A Future Free of Nuclear Weapons (tentative name),’ in which non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Japan and overseas are to participate, will be established with the local public-private sector group Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe) at its core. In anticipation of expiration of the current UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030, that group organization and HOPe will join forces and seek to incorporate “achievement of a world without nuclear weapons” into the next set of development goals.
The prefectural government has included 1.6 million yen for preparations to establish the Group of Friends in its initial general account budget proposal for fiscal 2022, which was announced on February 10. The Peace Promotion Project Team in the prefectural government explained, “Setting this major goal, we hope to establish and expand the Group of Friends based on the expertise of many individuals.”
Within the framework of the Hiroshima Initiative, its global call to action formulated in March 2021, the prefectural government revealed annual objectives such as conclusion of an agreement on nuclear abolition among nuclear weapon states and other countries by 2030. The prefectural government established the HOPe organization in April 2021 as a body to promote such objectives.
(Originally published on February 11, 2022)
