A-bomb survivors’ organizations pursue signature drive in Hiroshima to help establish nuclear ban treaty
Mar. 22, 2017
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On March 21, seven A-bomb survivors’ organizations located in Hiroshima Prefecture gathered signatures for a petition called the “Hibakusha Appeal for a Nuclear Ban Treaty,” which urges the nations of the world to establish a treaty to outlaw and eliminate nuclear weapons. The signature drive took place at Motoyasu Bridge in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, prior to the start of negotiations to discuss a treaty that would make nuclear arms illegal, opening at United Nations headquarters in New York on March 27. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the secretary general of Mayors for Peace (for which Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui serves as president), who will visit the United States on the sidelines of the U.N. negotiations, also took part in the campaign for the first time. About 30 participants called for support from citizens of the A-bombed city.
Toshiyuki Mimaki, 75, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), held a photograph of Shuntaro Hida, a doctor who made significant contributions to the medical treatment of A-bomb survivors, to add Mr. Hida’s appeal for supporting the treaty. Mr. Hida died on March 20 at the age of 100. Kunihiko Sakuma, 72, the chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, and Mr. Komizo also spoke out in turn, their voices amplified through a microphone with the messages: “Let’s do our utmost to realize this treaty” and “The desire of the A-bomb survivors is the driving force for banning nuclear weapons.”
Within 30 minutes, they collected the signatures of about 300 citizens and tourists who stopped to sign their petition. Natsuko Uhara 18, a high school graduate from Kobe who was sightseeing in Hiroshima, added her name to the document. She said, “I would be glad to be of some help to the A-bomb survivors, who are getting older.” The collected signatures will be compiled and submitted to U.N. headquarters this year.
(Originally published on March 22, 2017)
On March 21, seven A-bomb survivors’ organizations located in Hiroshima Prefecture gathered signatures for a petition called the “Hibakusha Appeal for a Nuclear Ban Treaty,” which urges the nations of the world to establish a treaty to outlaw and eliminate nuclear weapons. The signature drive took place at Motoyasu Bridge in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, prior to the start of negotiations to discuss a treaty that would make nuclear arms illegal, opening at United Nations headquarters in New York on March 27. Yasuyoshi Komizo, the secretary general of Mayors for Peace (for which Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui serves as president), who will visit the United States on the sidelines of the U.N. negotiations, also took part in the campaign for the first time. About 30 participants called for support from citizens of the A-bombed city.
Toshiyuki Mimaki, 75, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), held a photograph of Shuntaro Hida, a doctor who made significant contributions to the medical treatment of A-bomb survivors, to add Mr. Hida’s appeal for supporting the treaty. Mr. Hida died on March 20 at the age of 100. Kunihiko Sakuma, 72, the chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, and Mr. Komizo also spoke out in turn, their voices amplified through a microphone with the messages: “Let’s do our utmost to realize this treaty” and “The desire of the A-bomb survivors is the driving force for banning nuclear weapons.”
Within 30 minutes, they collected the signatures of about 300 citizens and tourists who stopped to sign their petition. Natsuko Uhara 18, a high school graduate from Kobe who was sightseeing in Hiroshima, added her name to the document. She said, “I would be glad to be of some help to the A-bomb survivors, who are getting older.” The collected signatures will be compiled and submitted to U.N. headquarters this year.
(Originally published on March 22, 2017)
