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First IPPNW North and South Asia Joint Regional Conference in Hiroshima will not include members from North Korea

by Uzaemonnaotsuka Tokai, Staff Writer

Japanese Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (JPPNW), an affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), came to the conclusion on June 25 that it would not invite members of Korean Anti-Nuke Peace Physicians, another affiliate of IPPNW, to the first IPPNW North and South Asia Joint Regional Conference to be held in Hiroshima in August. It determined that the nuclear test conducted by North Korea this past May “has made it difficult for JPPNW to invite its North Korean counterpart.”

According to JPPNW, members of Korean Anti-Nuke Peace Physicians expressed their willingness, at the end of last year, to take part in the conference. Since then, however, JPPNW has not heard from them. After the nuclear test by North Korea, it is unlikely that the Japanese government would permit members of a North Korean NGO to enter Japan. Therefore, JPPNW dropped the idea of inviting its counterpart.

The IPPNW North and South Asia Joint Regional Conference will be held on August 22-23 at the International Conference Center Hiroshima. Nearly 500 doctors who have been involved in providing assistance to A-bomb survivors and experts on international politics will hold discussions under the theme of “We CAN abolish nuclear weapons and the time is now!” Much attention was focused on whether North Korea, which has become increasingly isolated over its nuclear development, would participate in the conference or not.

North Korea formally joined the IPPNW in 1996 and participated in the Conference of IPPNW-North Asia Region in 1999 and in 2007. When the conference was held in Hiroshima in 2005, North Korea cancelled its participation at the last minute.

“It is regrettable that members of Korean Anti-Nuke Peace Physicians cannot participate in the conference. I wanted members from North Korea, where the destructive power of nuclear weapons is valued, to see the horrendous damage caused by the radiation released from the nuclear blast,” commented Dr. Jitsuro Yanagida, deputy member of the international council.

(Originally published on June 26, 2009)

Related articles
IPPNW to hold first North and South Asia Joint Regional Conference in Hiroshima in August (May 26, 2009)
Hiroshima doctors plan to aid North Korean A-bomb survivors (Sept. 23, 2008)

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