Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations opens meeting, reports on NPT conference
Jun. 16, 2015
by Jumpei Fujimura, Staff Writer
The two-day meeting of the general assembly of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) opened in Tokyo on June 9. About 100 members from local Hidankyo groups took part in the meeting and reported on the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which closed in May without adopting the final document, and the activities of representatives sent to New York during that time.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Mikiso Iwasa, 86, the executive director of Nihon Hidankyo, said, “The lives of the A-bomb survivors, who have endured the pains of illness and discrimination, must be communicated to the world and conveyed to younger generations who are unfamiliar with the atomic bombings.” Mr. Iwasa appealed for the need to increase the number of citizens who can take action together with the A-bomb survivors, whose average age has reached nearly 80.
Referring to the failure of the NPT Review Conference, Terumi Tanaka, 83, the secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, stressed, “I was very disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. We can’t afford to wait another five years for the next NPT Review Conference.” Mr. Tanaka urged that stronger efforts be made to seek the early ratification of a nuclear weapons convention.
Nihon Hidankyo sent a 49-member delegation to this year’s Review Conference in New York. At the meeting of the general assembly, there were also reports on the activities undertaken by members there, including an A-bomb exhibition, which took place at United Nations headquarters, the venue for the conference, and speeches made by A-bomb survivors.
On June 10, the final day of the meeting, Nihon Hidankyo will determine its action plan for this fiscal year. It is expected that the group will adopt a resolution calling for the Japanese government to urge the nuclear weapon states to support a nuclear weapons convention, and another resolution expressing opposition to Japan’s new security legislation.
(Originally published on June 10, 2015)
The two-day meeting of the general assembly of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) opened in Tokyo on June 9. About 100 members from local Hidankyo groups took part in the meeting and reported on the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), which closed in May without adopting the final document, and the activities of representatives sent to New York during that time.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Mikiso Iwasa, 86, the executive director of Nihon Hidankyo, said, “The lives of the A-bomb survivors, who have endured the pains of illness and discrimination, must be communicated to the world and conveyed to younger generations who are unfamiliar with the atomic bombings.” Mr. Iwasa appealed for the need to increase the number of citizens who can take action together with the A-bomb survivors, whose average age has reached nearly 80.
Referring to the failure of the NPT Review Conference, Terumi Tanaka, 83, the secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, stressed, “I was very disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. We can’t afford to wait another five years for the next NPT Review Conference.” Mr. Tanaka urged that stronger efforts be made to seek the early ratification of a nuclear weapons convention.
Nihon Hidankyo sent a 49-member delegation to this year’s Review Conference in New York. At the meeting of the general assembly, there were also reports on the activities undertaken by members there, including an A-bomb exhibition, which took place at United Nations headquarters, the venue for the conference, and speeches made by A-bomb survivors.
On June 10, the final day of the meeting, Nihon Hidankyo will determine its action plan for this fiscal year. It is expected that the group will adopt a resolution calling for the Japanese government to urge the nuclear weapon states to support a nuclear weapons convention, and another resolution expressing opposition to Japan’s new security legislation.
(Originally published on June 10, 2015)
