Peace clock logs record number of days since the world’s last nuclear test
Oct. 15, 2008
by Hiromi Morita, Staff Writer
A clock called “Peace Watch Tower,” which has stood in the East Building of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum since August 2001, logs the number of days since the world’s last nuclear test was conducted. Recently, this number has risen to a new record. As of October 8, the clock reads 730 days and October 9 will mark the second anniversary of the last test, an underground nuclear test conducted by North Korea. In today’s troubling international climate over nuclear weapons, people in Hiroshima hope the record will continue to be extended for a very long time.
The clock tower, which has two panels indicating the number of days since the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and the number of days since the last nuclear test was conducted, was presented to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum by Peace Watch Club (PWC), an NPO. After every nuclear test, the museum staff resets the counter of the nuclear test panel to zero. To date, the counter on this panel has been reset 11 times in response to nuclear tests in the world, including subcritical tests conducted by the United States.
The previous record for number of days without a nuclear test was 639. The current record exceeded this number in July of this year. Koichiro Maeda, director of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, pushed the reset button on the peace clock two years ago. He expressed concern over the current state of nuclear weapons in the world, including the U.S.-India nuclear deal recently approved by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). “In my role, I will continue to speak out frankly so the reality of the atomic bombing can be conveyed to the world and I won’t be forced to push that reset button again,” Mr. Maeda stated.
Katsuhiko Doi, secretary general of the PWC, which raised funds to install the clock tower, commented, “I hope the clock, which silently appeals to the world for peace, reminds people of the senselessness of nuclear testing.”
Nuclear tests since the Peace Watch Tower was unveiled in August 2001
2001
September 27: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
December 14: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2002
February 15: the U.S. and U.K. jointly conducted a subcritical nuclear test
June 8: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
August 30: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
September 27: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2003
September 20: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2004
May 26: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
Russia conducted several subcritical nuclear tests on unknown dates.
2006
February 24: the U.S. and U.K. jointly conducted a subcritical nuclear test
August 31: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
October 9: North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test
(Originally published on October 9, 2008)
A clock called “Peace Watch Tower,” which has stood in the East Building of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum since August 2001, logs the number of days since the world’s last nuclear test was conducted. Recently, this number has risen to a new record. As of October 8, the clock reads 730 days and October 9 will mark the second anniversary of the last test, an underground nuclear test conducted by North Korea. In today’s troubling international climate over nuclear weapons, people in Hiroshima hope the record will continue to be extended for a very long time.
The clock tower, which has two panels indicating the number of days since the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and the number of days since the last nuclear test was conducted, was presented to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum by Peace Watch Club (PWC), an NPO. After every nuclear test, the museum staff resets the counter of the nuclear test panel to zero. To date, the counter on this panel has been reset 11 times in response to nuclear tests in the world, including subcritical tests conducted by the United States.
The previous record for number of days without a nuclear test was 639. The current record exceeded this number in July of this year. Koichiro Maeda, director of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, pushed the reset button on the peace clock two years ago. He expressed concern over the current state of nuclear weapons in the world, including the U.S.-India nuclear deal recently approved by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). “In my role, I will continue to speak out frankly so the reality of the atomic bombing can be conveyed to the world and I won’t be forced to push that reset button again,” Mr. Maeda stated.
Katsuhiko Doi, secretary general of the PWC, which raised funds to install the clock tower, commented, “I hope the clock, which silently appeals to the world for peace, reminds people of the senselessness of nuclear testing.”
Nuclear tests since the Peace Watch Tower was unveiled in August 2001
2001
September 27: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
December 14: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2002
February 15: the U.S. and U.K. jointly conducted a subcritical nuclear test
June 8: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
August 30: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
September 27: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2003
September 20: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
2004
May 26: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
Russia conducted several subcritical nuclear tests on unknown dates.
2006
February 24: the U.S. and U.K. jointly conducted a subcritical nuclear test
August 31: the U.S. conducted a subcritical nuclear test
October 9: North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test
(Originally published on October 9, 2008)
