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“A-bomb survivors’ wish has become a common recognition of the world,” Nihon Hidankyo said after the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, while ‘nuclear sharing’ is out of the question

by Fumiyasu Miyano, Staff Writer

On October 12, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, a nationwide organization known as Nihon Hidankyo, held a press conference in Tokyo after the announcement it has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Terumi Tanaka, 92, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo who has been involved in the campaign for half a century, welcomed the strong tailwind for the movement to eliminate nuclear weapons, saying, “It is a wonderful decision that makes the atomic bomb survivors’ wish a common recognition of the world.”

“The situation surrounding nuclear weapons is very tense, and a nuclear war may break out,” Mr. Tanaka stressed at the press conference, positioning the award to Nihon Hidankyo as a sign of the Nobel Committee’s sense of crisis in calling for the urgent abolition of nuclear weapons. Referring to the Nihon Hidankyo’s demand for an apology from the United States for dropping the atomic bombs on Japan, he said, “We cannot afford to worry about what the United States would think” when analyzing the situation.

Mr. Tanaka also mentioned the horrible sight he had witnessed in Nagasaki when he was 13 years old, where bodies were strewn all over the city. He lost five members of his family in the atomic bombing. “People should not be killed this way. A nuclear weapon is a criminal weapon, a demon’s tool that does not deserve to be called a weapon.” He then urged, “It is the challenge of humanity, not just the issue of atomic bomb survivors, to eliminate nuclear weapons. Let us do it together.”

The Nobel Committee recognized the organization’s efforts contributed to “the nuclear taboo.” Masako Wada, 80, Assistant Secretary General, was deeply impressed, saying, “People around the world understand that it was the testimony and movements of atomic bomb survivors that prevented the use of a nuclear weapon, not its deterrence.”

They also mentioned Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s pet opinion, which advocates a ‘nuclear sharing’ policy to bring nuclear weapons into Japan. “This is out of the question. I am furious about his view. I really want to meet him to have a thorough discussion on this matter,” Mr. Tanaka said. Ms. Wada agreed and said, “Japan may become a perpetrator of the use of a nuclear weapon. We must not allow that to happen.”

Other board members living in other parts of Japan joined the press conference online. Shigemitsu Tanaka, 83, co-chair of the organization, was overcome with emotion as he said, “Our seniors shared their A-bomb experiences at home and abroad while fighting discrimination, prejudice and health problems. Their appeal slowly seeped into people’s minds like rainwater into the soil and led to the establishment of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). We were on the right path.”

Toshiyuki Mimaki, 82, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo and also chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, paid tribute to his predecessors and reflected fondly on the 68-year history of the confederation. Sueichi Kido, 84, Secretary General of Nihon Hidankyo, strengthened his resolve after receiving the news, saying, “Creating a world without nuclear weapons has become the ultimate goal of my life. I am grateful to have been shown how to live the last days of my life.”

(Originally published on October 13, 2024)

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