A-bomb survivors disappointed with nuclear ban treaty not being discussed
Nov. 26, 2019
by Yo Kono, Staff Writer
On November 25, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Pope Francis at the prime minister’s office. Although Mr. Abe emphasized realizing a nuclear-free world is his unshakable faith, he did not mention the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Interviewed by the Chugoku Shimbun, Sueichi Kido, 79, secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), said with disappointment, “I’d like the prime minister to go further with the treaty.”
The meeting of Prime Minister Abe and Pope Francis was their second in five years. It was closed to the media after Mr. Abe said at the start of the meeting, “Japan and the Vatican are partners in realizing a world free of nuclear weapons, and I would like to further expand cooperation with the Vatican.”
After the meeting with the pope, there was a gathering amongst ministers and related officials. Mr. Abe said, “Japan will continuously seek to serve as a bridge between nuclear weapons states and non-nuclear weapons states in the elimination of nuclear weapons.” The pope said, “Please promote every necessary means of discussion so that the destruction generated by atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never take place again.”
Regarding the fact that nothing was mentioned about the TPNW in the meeting between the prime minister and the pope, Mr. Kido assumes that they both may have paid a special attention not to say anything harsh. He said he felt the pope’s passionate stance toward the abolition of nuclear weapons after listening to his speech in Nagasaki on November 24, and urged the prime minister to think about the TPNW more seriously. He also urged the Japanese government to achieve its role of conveying the A-bomb survivors’ desire clearly to nuclear weapons states, if the Japanese government really wants to serve as a bridge between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapons states.
(Originally published on November 26, 2019)
On November 25, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Pope Francis at the prime minister’s office. Although Mr. Abe emphasized realizing a nuclear-free world is his unshakable faith, he did not mention the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Interviewed by the Chugoku Shimbun, Sueichi Kido, 79, secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), said with disappointment, “I’d like the prime minister to go further with the treaty.”
The meeting of Prime Minister Abe and Pope Francis was their second in five years. It was closed to the media after Mr. Abe said at the start of the meeting, “Japan and the Vatican are partners in realizing a world free of nuclear weapons, and I would like to further expand cooperation with the Vatican.”
After the meeting with the pope, there was a gathering amongst ministers and related officials. Mr. Abe said, “Japan will continuously seek to serve as a bridge between nuclear weapons states and non-nuclear weapons states in the elimination of nuclear weapons.” The pope said, “Please promote every necessary means of discussion so that the destruction generated by atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never take place again.”
Regarding the fact that nothing was mentioned about the TPNW in the meeting between the prime minister and the pope, Mr. Kido assumes that they both may have paid a special attention not to say anything harsh. He said he felt the pope’s passionate stance toward the abolition of nuclear weapons after listening to his speech in Nagasaki on November 24, and urged the prime minister to think about the TPNW more seriously. He also urged the Japanese government to achieve its role of conveying the A-bomb survivors’ desire clearly to nuclear weapons states, if the Japanese government really wants to serve as a bridge between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapons states.
(Originally published on November 26, 2019)
