Mid-term plan is made for Hiroshima prefecture’s “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan
Oct. 18, 2013
by Kenichiro Nozaki, Staff Writer
The Hiroshima prefectural government has decided to continue producing the “Hiroshima Report” until fiscal 2015. The Hiroshima Report is the prefecture’s move to assign grades to the efforts made by countries with regard to nuclear arms reduction and non-proliferation. The prefecture will also continue staging round table conferences for experts from various nations to explore a path toward abolishing nuclear weapons. With these programs included in its medium-term plan, which will be completed by the middle of this month, the prefecture seeks to strengthen its “Hiroshima for Global Peace” initiative, aimed at realizing a world without nuclear weapons.
The first Hiroshima Report was released this past April. It graded 19 nations, including the nuclear weapon states, on their records involving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Some A-bomb survivors and researchers praised the report highly, while others questioned the prefecture’s assessment criteria, because good marks were given to the United States despite the fact that it has repeatedly carried out subcritical nuclear experiments.
The prefectural government commissioned experts from home and abroad to provide feedback on the first report. For future reports, the assessment criteria will be modified as needed. With the inclusion of more countries, future reports will also cover more aspects of international trends involving nuclear weapons.
The “Hiroshima Round Table,” a gathering this past July where 16 people, including researchers and former foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, China, South Korea, and Australia, discussed ways to realize the elimination of nuclear weapons, will be reprised in fiscal 2014 and 2015.
The first round table meeting was devoted only to promoting vigorous debate, but preparations will be made for the next conference to produce proposals and tangible results. The prefecture hopes that future round table gatherings will be attended by representatives of national governments.
The “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan was developed in fiscal 2011, and the prefectural government is now fleshing out the details of its mid-term plan which covers fiscal 2013 through 2015. The plan will include bringing international conferences on nuclear weapons to Hiroshima and enhancing programs to nurture human resources in cooperation with the Hiroshima Office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, which is located in downtown Hiroshima.
The prefecture’s Peace Promotion Project Team commented that continuing efforts are needed to strengthen Hiroshima’s message to the world and that their work will proceed step by step.
Keywords
Hiroshima prefecture’s “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan
Created by the prefecture in 2011, this plan outlines Hiroshima’s role in making contributions to the elimination of nuclear weapons and nurturing human resources in the field of peace building. Programs that are part of this initiative, such as releasing the “Hiroshima Report” and holding a round table conference, have been realized this fiscal year. Currently a report is being compiled which examines the process of Hiroshima’s post-war reconstruction. Discussions are also being made on amassing research and training personnel in the field of peace-building in cooperation with universities located in the city and the prefecture of Hiroshima.
(Originally published on October 11, 2013)
The Hiroshima prefectural government has decided to continue producing the “Hiroshima Report” until fiscal 2015. The Hiroshima Report is the prefecture’s move to assign grades to the efforts made by countries with regard to nuclear arms reduction and non-proliferation. The prefecture will also continue staging round table conferences for experts from various nations to explore a path toward abolishing nuclear weapons. With these programs included in its medium-term plan, which will be completed by the middle of this month, the prefecture seeks to strengthen its “Hiroshima for Global Peace” initiative, aimed at realizing a world without nuclear weapons.
The first Hiroshima Report was released this past April. It graded 19 nations, including the nuclear weapon states, on their records involving nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Some A-bomb survivors and researchers praised the report highly, while others questioned the prefecture’s assessment criteria, because good marks were given to the United States despite the fact that it has repeatedly carried out subcritical nuclear experiments.
The prefectural government commissioned experts from home and abroad to provide feedback on the first report. For future reports, the assessment criteria will be modified as needed. With the inclusion of more countries, future reports will also cover more aspects of international trends involving nuclear weapons.
The “Hiroshima Round Table,” a gathering this past July where 16 people, including researchers and former foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, China, South Korea, and Australia, discussed ways to realize the elimination of nuclear weapons, will be reprised in fiscal 2014 and 2015.
The first round table meeting was devoted only to promoting vigorous debate, but preparations will be made for the next conference to produce proposals and tangible results. The prefecture hopes that future round table gatherings will be attended by representatives of national governments.
The “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan was developed in fiscal 2011, and the prefectural government is now fleshing out the details of its mid-term plan which covers fiscal 2013 through 2015. The plan will include bringing international conferences on nuclear weapons to Hiroshima and enhancing programs to nurture human resources in cooperation with the Hiroshima Office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, which is located in downtown Hiroshima.
The prefecture’s Peace Promotion Project Team commented that continuing efforts are needed to strengthen Hiroshima’s message to the world and that their work will proceed step by step.
Keywords
Hiroshima prefecture’s “Hiroshima for Global Peace” plan
Created by the prefecture in 2011, this plan outlines Hiroshima’s role in making contributions to the elimination of nuclear weapons and nurturing human resources in the field of peace building. Programs that are part of this initiative, such as releasing the “Hiroshima Report” and holding a round table conference, have been realized this fiscal year. Currently a report is being compiled which examines the process of Hiroshima’s post-war reconstruction. Discussions are also being made on amassing research and training personnel in the field of peace-building in cooperation with universities located in the city and the prefecture of Hiroshima.
(Originally published on October 11, 2013)
