First Meeting of State Parties to TPNW: Keita Takagaki, from Hiroshima’s Asaminami Ward, and Daisy Whitby, Hiroshima University staff, to convey inhumanity of nuclear weapons
Jun. 14, 2022
In hopes of passing on wishes of A-bomb survivors
by Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writer
Coinciding with the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria, June 21–23, young people connected to the A-bombed city of Hiroshima will convey the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons at the meeting venue. With the hope of communicating the suffering experienced by A-bomb survivors as well as their wish for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the two young people will make an effort to deepen collaboration with representatives of younger generations from other countries while keeping the wishes of A-bomb survivors in mind, even as Japan’s national government persists in turning its back on the treaty.
Keita Takagaki, 19, a second-year student at Waseda University in Tokyo who is originally from Hiroshima’s Asaminami Ward, will visit Vienna as a youth representative from the Delegation in Japan of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), based in Tokyo, an organization that contributed to establishment of the TPNW. Mr. Takagaki plans to present the reality of the devastation caused by nuclear weapons to members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are scheduled to attend the various side events to be held during the TPNW meeting.
Both of Mr. Takagaki’s great-grandfathers were physicians engaged in aid and relief work for A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He has heard about the A-bombing experiences of his great-grandfathers from his grandparents since he was in elementary school. As a member of the student newspaper at Sotoku High School, in Hiroshima’s Nishi Ward, he reported on A-bombed building preservation efforts, among other issues.
Serving as a volunteer at the ICRC’s delegation in Japan, Mr. Takagaki has highlighted the devastation of Hiroshima by the atomic bombing from, in particular, a humanitarian perspective. “One of my missions is to pass down the very existence, the memories, and the thoughts of deceased A-bomb victims, including my great-grandfathers, to the next generation of young people,” he said. “I want to convey that and other information about the inhumane impacts of nuclear weapons not visible to the eye, such as discrimination by others and unease about health.”
On June 21, the first day of the TPNW meeting, Daisy Whitby, 26, a staff member at Hiroshima University who is originally from Britain, a nuclear power itself, and who now lives in Higashihiroshima City, will attend the Youth Meeting of States Parties, at which young people from around the world will contemplate efforts to achieve the goal of elimination of nuclear weapons through workshops and discussions.
Five years ago, Ms. Whitby had the occasion to travel to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and took an interest in the reality of the atomic bombing, which prompted her to move to Hiroshima Prefecture. As a volunteer at ANT-Hiroshima, an NPO located in Hiroshima City, she has gained a deep understanding of the devastation caused by nuclear weapons as well as the importance of the TPNW. “A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima have taught me that nuclear weapons cause suffering that never heals. During the event, I hope to gain knowledge and experience toward creating a world without nuclear weapons,” said Mr. Whitby.
(Originally published on June 14, 2022)
