A-bomb survivors respond with fright and anger to Putin remark on readying use of nuclear weapons
Mar. 25, 2015
by Michiko Tanaka, Staff Writer
On March 16, it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed Russian forces to prepare for the possible use of nuclear weapons after a pro-western administration took power in Ukraine when the pro-Russian government collapsed in February 2014. The news stirred fright and anger among A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima. Appealing for the abolition of nuclear weapons, they said these weapons must be eliminated to prevent further tragedies.
“I was horrified,” said Toshiyuki Mimaki, 73, vice chairman of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi. Expressing a sense of urgency, he emphasized, “This development has made it clear that as long as nuclear weapons exist, there can be no guarantee that they won’t be used.” Kazuo Okoshi, 74, acting chairman of another faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, shared his frustration by saying, “This reveals the true intentions of a nuclear power, that it might use nuclear weapons in response to an emergency.”
Gen Kikkawa, the president of the Hiroshima Peace Institute, a body within Hiroshima City University which focuses on international security and international relations, believes that Mr. Putin’s move arises from the deepening isolation of his administration in the international community and the lack of a unifying force in Russia. He suggests that Mr. Putin may seek to unite the Russian people and military by conveying the position that he would not hesitate to use even nuclear arms to defend his nation’s interests. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, who has had extensive experience as a diplomat, points out that it is unlikely Mr. Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons, but this development reveals the high risk that they might be used through errors of judgment or by accident.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui commented with the words: “If the media report is true, this is very disturbing. I strongly urge Russia to reflect on the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons and make efforts to realize a world without nuclear weapons at the earliest possible date.”
(Originally published on March 17, 2015)
On March 16, it was reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed Russian forces to prepare for the possible use of nuclear weapons after a pro-western administration took power in Ukraine when the pro-Russian government collapsed in February 2014. The news stirred fright and anger among A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima. Appealing for the abolition of nuclear weapons, they said these weapons must be eliminated to prevent further tragedies.
“I was horrified,” said Toshiyuki Mimaki, 73, vice chairman of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi. Expressing a sense of urgency, he emphasized, “This development has made it clear that as long as nuclear weapons exist, there can be no guarantee that they won’t be used.” Kazuo Okoshi, 74, acting chairman of another faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, shared his frustration by saying, “This reveals the true intentions of a nuclear power, that it might use nuclear weapons in response to an emergency.”
Gen Kikkawa, the president of the Hiroshima Peace Institute, a body within Hiroshima City University which focuses on international security and international relations, believes that Mr. Putin’s move arises from the deepening isolation of his administration in the international community and the lack of a unifying force in Russia. He suggests that Mr. Putin may seek to unite the Russian people and military by conveying the position that he would not hesitate to use even nuclear arms to defend his nation’s interests. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, who has had extensive experience as a diplomat, points out that it is unlikely Mr. Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons, but this development reveals the high risk that they might be used through errors of judgment or by accident.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui commented with the words: “If the media report is true, this is very disturbing. I strongly urge Russia to reflect on the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons and make efforts to realize a world without nuclear weapons at the earliest possible date.”
(Originally published on March 17, 2015)
