A-bomb survivors express anger over prime minister’s opposition to “no first use” of nuclear arms
Aug. 17, 2016
by Kohei Okata and Junji Akechi, Staff Writers
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has conveyed to a U.S. government official that he is opposed to a nuclear weapons policy of “no first use” now being considered by the Obama administration. On August 16, after this was reported by U.S. news outlets, A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima raised their voices in anger.
“From an ordinary point of view, it is utterly outrageous that the Japanese government is calling to continue the possibility of a first strike for the use of nuclear weapons, which could spark a nuclear war,” Toshiyuki Mimaki, 74, said angrily. Mr. Mimaki is the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi). In conjunction with the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Japan, Mr. Mimaki was invited by a U.S. peace group to visit Washington, D.C. between August 3 and 13, and shared his desire for nuclear abolition with the people of the United States at various meetings and assemblies. Mr. Mimaki said, “Mr. Abe pledged that he would make efforts for the realization of a world without nuclear weapons. His actions contradict his words.”
The review of U.S. nuclear policy by the administration of Mr. Obama, who visited Hiroshima this past May, has drawn considerable attention as a move to advance nuclear disarmament. On August 16, Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki added his signature to a statement issued by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN), an organization of key figures that includes 40 former cabinet ministers, which is calling for the adoption of the no-first-use policy by the United States and appealing to U.S. allies to push for this step. According to an official at the Hiroshima prefectural government, Mr. Yuzaki is a member of the APLN, and on August 10 he received an email asking him to support the no-first-use policy.
A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima were initially concerned that Japan, which relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security, would oppose the no-first-use doctrine. Kazuo Okoshi, 76, the secretary general of the other Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma), said, “This has made it clear that the Japanese government depends on nuclear weapons more heavily than the nuclear weapon states. The government’s stance does not agree with Mr. Obama’s determination to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons to the extent possible, and it’s completely contrary to the will of the people of Japan.”
(Originally published on August 17, 2016)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has conveyed to a U.S. government official that he is opposed to a nuclear weapons policy of “no first use” now being considered by the Obama administration. On August 16, after this was reported by U.S. news outlets, A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima raised their voices in anger.
“From an ordinary point of view, it is utterly outrageous that the Japanese government is calling to continue the possibility of a first strike for the use of nuclear weapons, which could spark a nuclear war,” Toshiyuki Mimaki, 74, said angrily. Mr. Mimaki is the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi). In conjunction with the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Japan, Mr. Mimaki was invited by a U.S. peace group to visit Washington, D.C. between August 3 and 13, and shared his desire for nuclear abolition with the people of the United States at various meetings and assemblies. Mr. Mimaki said, “Mr. Abe pledged that he would make efforts for the realization of a world without nuclear weapons. His actions contradict his words.”
The review of U.S. nuclear policy by the administration of Mr. Obama, who visited Hiroshima this past May, has drawn considerable attention as a move to advance nuclear disarmament. On August 16, Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki added his signature to a statement issued by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN), an organization of key figures that includes 40 former cabinet ministers, which is calling for the adoption of the no-first-use policy by the United States and appealing to U.S. allies to push for this step. According to an official at the Hiroshima prefectural government, Mr. Yuzaki is a member of the APLN, and on August 10 he received an email asking him to support the no-first-use policy.
A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima were initially concerned that Japan, which relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security, would oppose the no-first-use doctrine. Kazuo Okoshi, 76, the secretary general of the other Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (chaired by Kunihiko Sakuma), said, “This has made it clear that the Japanese government depends on nuclear weapons more heavily than the nuclear weapon states. The government’s stance does not agree with Mr. Obama’s determination to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons to the extent possible, and it’s completely contrary to the will of the people of Japan.”
(Originally published on August 17, 2016)
