Foreign ministers’ meeting in Hiroshima seen as good opportunity to urge action on nuclear disarmament; hopes of A-bomb survivors rise
Jul. 2, 2015
The Secretary of State of the United States, the only nation to have used an atomic bomb in war, and the foreign ministers of other nuclear nations will come to Hiroshima next year. On June 26 the government announced its intention to hold the foreign ministers’ meeting that will take place ahead of the Group of Seven summit (Ise Shima summit) in Hiroshima. The government said it will offer “a good opportunity to urge the leaders to resolve to take action to bring about nuclear disarmament and a world without nuclear weapons.” Atomic bomb survivors have high hopes that the meeting will lead to a change of heart in the developed nations that are unwilling to give up inhumane nuclear weapons.
Naka Ward resident Keiko Ogura, 77, an A-bomb survivor who recounts her experiences in English, was happy to hear the announcement. “It’s the first good news I’ve heard in quite a while,” she said. “It will be very meaningful to have those responsible for the diplomacy of the U.S. and other nuclear nations in Hiroshima and has tremendous potential to influence what they say and do.” The review conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which is held every five years and at which nuclear disarmament is debated, collapsed in May and failed to issue a final document, causing Ms. Ogura to be concerned about the prospects for a non-nuclear world.
At the ministerial meeting of the Non-proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), which was held in Hiroshima in April of last year, Ms. Ogura recounted her experiences to the foreign ministers of non-nuclear nations. “I want them to see, hear and feel things in Hiroshima because I believe that will have an impact on the content of the discussions,” she said.
The city will propose that the foreign ministers visit the Peace Memorial Museum and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. Sunao Tsuboi, 90, chairman of one faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, said, “I’d like to get a step or two closer to a world without nuclear weapons or war.” Kazuo Okoshi, 75, secretary general of the other faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which is chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma, said, “I’d like the nuclear nations in particular to gain a better understanding of the inhumanity of the atomic bomb and to realize that their policies are misguided.”
The public also has high hopes for the meeting. Yasuko Kanda, 57, an art teacher and resident of Aki Ward, said, “Reporters from many countries will also be coming, so I hope it will provide an opportunity to convey to the world the reality of the destruction of the atomic bombing.” Tim Muir, 30, an American company employee who was visiting the Peace Memorial Museum, said he hadn’t known the facts about the harm caused by radiation before visiting the museum and that he hoped the ministers would talk about abolishing nuclear weapons. He added that President Obama should come to Hiroshima too.
(Originally published on June 27, 2015)
Naka Ward resident Keiko Ogura, 77, an A-bomb survivor who recounts her experiences in English, was happy to hear the announcement. “It’s the first good news I’ve heard in quite a while,” she said. “It will be very meaningful to have those responsible for the diplomacy of the U.S. and other nuclear nations in Hiroshima and has tremendous potential to influence what they say and do.” The review conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which is held every five years and at which nuclear disarmament is debated, collapsed in May and failed to issue a final document, causing Ms. Ogura to be concerned about the prospects for a non-nuclear world.
At the ministerial meeting of the Non-proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), which was held in Hiroshima in April of last year, Ms. Ogura recounted her experiences to the foreign ministers of non-nuclear nations. “I want them to see, hear and feel things in Hiroshima because I believe that will have an impact on the content of the discussions,” she said.
The city will propose that the foreign ministers visit the Peace Memorial Museum and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims. Sunao Tsuboi, 90, chairman of one faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, said, “I’d like to get a step or two closer to a world without nuclear weapons or war.” Kazuo Okoshi, 75, secretary general of the other faction of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which is chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma, said, “I’d like the nuclear nations in particular to gain a better understanding of the inhumanity of the atomic bomb and to realize that their policies are misguided.”
The public also has high hopes for the meeting. Yasuko Kanda, 57, an art teacher and resident of Aki Ward, said, “Reporters from many countries will also be coming, so I hope it will provide an opportunity to convey to the world the reality of the destruction of the atomic bombing.” Tim Muir, 30, an American company employee who was visiting the Peace Memorial Museum, said he hadn’t known the facts about the harm caused by radiation before visiting the museum and that he hoped the ministers would talk about abolishing nuclear weapons. He added that President Obama should come to Hiroshima too.
(Originally published on June 27, 2015)
