A-bomb survivors respond to announcement of U.S.-North Korea summit with hope for progress in nuclear abolition
Mar. 10, 2018
by Kanako Noda and Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writers
In the wake of the March 9 announcement that U.S. President Donald Trump is ready to hold talks with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, some groups of A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima Prefecture have responded with strong enthusiasm for this development, saying that they can now finally see a positive turn toward the resolution of this nuclear issue. Others, however, are very wary of this abrupt change in attitude on the part of North Korea, given that this nation has aggressively pursued nuclear and missile tests. The role of the Japanese government, representing the only country in the world to have experienced nuclear attack, will grow in significance.
Kim Jin Ho, 72, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima, said he welcomes this news. No one wants war, he said, and shared his hope that the summit between the United States and North Korea can peacefully resolve the conflict that exists between the two countries. He added that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policy of applying maximum pressure is fruitless and he wishes for U.S.-North Korean talks that will give hope to A-bomb survivors for the elimination of nuclear arms.
Park Namjoo, the 85-year-old chair of the Committee Seeking Measures for the Korean A-bomb Victims of the Hiroshima Headquarters of the Korean Residents Union in Japan (MINDAN), pointed out that the people of North Korea don’t fully understand the horror or catastrophic damage that nuclear weapons pose to humanity. She said that she would like to send a strong message from Hiroshima to encourage the success of the talks between the two leaders.
“Will these talks between the two leaders actually take place, in spite of the bitter war of words they traded in the past? North Korea’s intentions are difficult to gauge,” said Toshiyuki Mimaki, 75, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), with suspicion. Yet he added, with hope, “If the talks go well, the citizens’ signature drive for nuclear abolition, as well as helping sway public opinion toward a nuclear-free world, will gain a lot of momentum.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 73, the chair of the other Hiroshma-ken Hidankyo, said, “The announcement of talks between the two leaders is a step toward greater progress in our quest to abolish nuclear weapons. Although it will take some time, the United States and North Korea can establish and deepen a relationship of mutual trust to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.” Citing the challenge of the early entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted last July at the United Nations, he urges the Japanese government to speak out about denuclearization and to play a strong role as the A-bombed nation.
Keisaburo Toyonaga, 81, the head of the Hiroshima branch of the Association of Citizens for the Support of South Korean Atomic Bomb Victims, stressed that A-bombed survivors in North Korea have been ignored for many years and he made a strong appeal for the Japanese government to exchange views and ideas with the people of North Korea.
(Originally published on March 10, 2018)
In the wake of the March 9 announcement that U.S. President Donald Trump is ready to hold talks with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, some groups of A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima Prefecture have responded with strong enthusiasm for this development, saying that they can now finally see a positive turn toward the resolution of this nuclear issue. Others, however, are very wary of this abrupt change in attitude on the part of North Korea, given that this nation has aggressively pursued nuclear and missile tests. The role of the Japanese government, representing the only country in the world to have experienced nuclear attack, will grow in significance.
Kim Jin Ho, 72, the executive director of the Council of Atom-bombed Koreans in Hiroshima, said he welcomes this news. No one wants war, he said, and shared his hope that the summit between the United States and North Korea can peacefully resolve the conflict that exists between the two countries. He added that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policy of applying maximum pressure is fruitless and he wishes for U.S.-North Korean talks that will give hope to A-bomb survivors for the elimination of nuclear arms.
Park Namjoo, the 85-year-old chair of the Committee Seeking Measures for the Korean A-bomb Victims of the Hiroshima Headquarters of the Korean Residents Union in Japan (MINDAN), pointed out that the people of North Korea don’t fully understand the horror or catastrophic damage that nuclear weapons pose to humanity. She said that she would like to send a strong message from Hiroshima to encourage the success of the talks between the two leaders.
“Will these talks between the two leaders actually take place, in spite of the bitter war of words they traded in the past? North Korea’s intentions are difficult to gauge,” said Toshiyuki Mimaki, 75, the vice chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo, chaired by Sunao Tsuboi), with suspicion. Yet he added, with hope, “If the talks go well, the citizens’ signature drive for nuclear abolition, as well as helping sway public opinion toward a nuclear-free world, will gain a lot of momentum.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 73, the chair of the other Hiroshma-ken Hidankyo, said, “The announcement of talks between the two leaders is a step toward greater progress in our quest to abolish nuclear weapons. Although it will take some time, the United States and North Korea can establish and deepen a relationship of mutual trust to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons.” Citing the challenge of the early entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted last July at the United Nations, he urges the Japanese government to speak out about denuclearization and to play a strong role as the A-bombed nation.
Keisaburo Toyonaga, 81, the head of the Hiroshima branch of the Association of Citizens for the Support of South Korean Atomic Bomb Victims, stressed that A-bombed survivors in North Korea have been ignored for many years and he made a strong appeal for the Japanese government to exchange views and ideas with the people of North Korea.
(Originally published on March 10, 2018)
