-Criticizes US Nuclear Weapons Development

The curtain went up August 1 at an international conference center in Tokyo on the World Congress against A- and H-bombs for the 59th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings sponsored by the National Congress of Gensuikin. The conference was attended by approximately 100 people. Secretary General, Shingo Fukuyama reported on the situation in Iraq, which remains in turmoil long after the war's end. He also reported on US efforts to develop new nuclear weapons, on the nuclear problem in North Korea, and the year's other relevant situations around the world. He called on "Peace and disarmament non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to create a great outpouring of demand for the abolition of nuclear weapons."

In the exchange among the panelists, Professor Lee Jong Won of Rikkyo University pointed out that, "US policies in North Korea are going nowhere because of the turmoil in Iraq." Regarding the six-party talks about the nuclear issue, he said, "If the parties other than the US, that is, China, S. Korea, Japan, and Russia, cooperate, they can improve relations with N. Korea."

Hans M. Kristensen, a US nuclear policy analyst, has concluded that, "Nuclear weapons are taking on greater weight in US national security policy." He criticized the Bush administration for its stated willingness to use nuclear weapons preemptively and for developing nuclear bunker busters and other new nuclear weapons. He asserted the need to change US nuclear policy by making the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) stronger and more complete.

Gensuikin will continue to hold its Hiroshima Conference in Hiroshima on the 4th to the 6th. And, the Japan Council Against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo) will also hold its international conference in Hiroshima August 2 to 6. US nuclear policies, the role of the A-bombed nation Japan and the state of the peace movement will be discussed leading up to the 60th anniversary of the bombings in 2005.

(Caption)The World Congress against A-and H-bombs sponsored by Gensuikin and featuring discussion of the North Korean nuclear problem and US nuclear policies