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World Conferences Against A & H Bombs conclude in Nagasaki

by Yumi Kanazaki, Staff Writer

On August 9, the twin World Conferences Against A and H Bombs concluded their programs, which began in Hiroshima, by holding their closing meetings in Nagasaki. One world conference was organized by the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs and its affiliated organizations, while the other world conference was organized by the Japan Congress Against A- and H- Bombs and its affiliated organizations.

The Japan Council held its closing meeting at Nagasaki Citizens Hall with a crowd of 7,800. Tilman Ruff, head of the Australian Branch of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) appealed to the participants, saying, “It is essential to conclude a nuclear weapons convention to ensure the elimination of nuclear weapons. Let us apply pressure to each national government to engage in negotiations for the convention.” The participants also adopted a resolution on such issues as urging the Japanese government to change its handling of A-bomb disease certification in line with the actual conditions of the atomic bombings.

The Japan Congress held its closing meeting at Nagasaki Prefectural Gymnasium with 2,200 in attendance. Shingo Fukuyama, secretary general of the Japan Congress, said, “We must make the Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) a definite success.” The participants adopted the conference declaration which calls for such actions as making the three non-nuclear principles into law. The participants also staged a peace march along a 1.2 kilometer route between the conference venue and Hypocenter Park where the hypocenter of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki is located.

(Originally published on August 10, 2009)

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