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Hiroshima : 70 Years After the A-bombing

Messages from Mayors for Peace: 13 Mayors from Tokyo

1. Kenichi Yoshida, Mayor of Shinjuku City, Tokyo

With the wish for the abolition of all nuclear weapons and a lasting peace in the world, the city of Shinjuku adopted the “Shinjuku City Peace City Declaration” in March 1986. Since then, the city and its citizens have pursued a variety of projects to promote peace, such as dispatching parents and children to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to learn about the horror of war and the preciousness of peace.

In addition to the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings, the year 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of our city’s peace declaration.

For the children, the builders of the future, the city of Shinjuku is determined to continue our efforts to help realize a lasting peace in the world by joining hands with other municipalities as a member of Mayors for Peace.

2. Takeshi Sakamoto, Mayor of Itabashi City, Tokyo

Seventy years have passed since World War II. The number of people who were born after the war, who haven’t suffered the horrible experiences of that era, are increasing, and the war is being forgotten, relegated to the past.

In such circumstances, I believe renewing our awareness of peace, and how the peace we enjoy today was built on the sacrifices of so many, is of vital importance.

I am convinced that international public opinion for the abolition of nuclear weapons will be grow further when peace is promoted more proactively by Japan, the only nation in the world to have experienced atomic bombings.

3. Katsunori Aoki, Mayor of Katsushika City, Tokyo

As a “Nuclear-Free Peace City,” the city of Katsushika has been involved in various nuclear-free and peace-related activities. With about 80 percent of our citizens in the generations born after the war, I believe that handing down the desire for a nuclear-free and peaceful future to younger generations is essential.

This year marks the milestone 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. We intend to make efforts to convey the tragedy and folly of war and nuclear arms and encourage people to deepen their thoughts for a nuclear-free and peaceful future. We will also work hard to hand down to future generations the fact that today’s peaceful nation was founded on the precious sacrifices of those who regrettably experienced the atomic bombings.

4. Ryo Tanaka, Mayor of Suginami City, Tokyo

The city of Suginami issued a “Peace City Declaration” in March 1988 as the birthplace of the signature drive to ban atomic and hydrogen weapons, where signatures for the abolition of nuclear weapons began to be gathered after the U.S. hydrogen bomb test conducted at the Bikini Atoll in 1954.   

In this year which marks the 70th anniversary since the end of World War II, we will continue to call for lasting peace in the world and the abolition of nuclear weapons, desires shared by people everywhere.

5. Nobuto Hosaka, Mayor of Setagaya City, Tokyo

The city of Setagaya has pursued various peace projects after adopting a “Peace City Declaration” in 1985, hoping to play our part in abolishing nuclear weapons and enlarging the circle of peace in the world.

Even today, however, armed conflicts are ongoing and the abolition of nuclear weapons is still unrealized.

In the 70th year since the atomic bombings and the end of World War II, we intend to continue making efforts to build peace in the world with our strong desire to realize, as a member of Mayors for Peace, “a world of lasting peace, without nuclear arms.”

6. Kazuo Satoh, Mayor of Kunitachi City, Tokyo

The essence of preserving the unprecedented tragedy of the atomic bombings as a lasting memory of humanity and avoiding a repetition of this tragedy lies in the power found in continuing to convey this experience. The city of Kunitachi will begin nurturing memory keepers of the A-bomb experiences in January 2015 in order to turn the experiences of the A-bomb survivors living in our city and the voices of the dead into hallowed wisdom for the future.

Guided by the spirit of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese people must proceed with the mission of conveying the suffering of the A-bomb survivors and the cruelty of nuclear weapons more widely. I pledge to continue making diligent efforts to promote a peaceful future for our planet in which we can all fulfill our precious lives.

7. Takahiko Inaba, Mayor of Koganei City, Tokyo

Sixty-nine years have passed since the atomic bombings and the end of World War II, and seventy years have passed since the day bombs fell on the city of Koganei. We have pursued a variety of nuclear-free and peace-related activities since we adopted a “Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration” on April 1, 1982. After enacting the “Koganei Peace Day Designation Ordinance” on December 18, 2014, we designated March 10, when Tokyo suffered the Great Tokyo Air Raid, “Koganei Peace Day” as a day to discuss and reflect on the importance of peace and the preciousness of life with our citizens.

As we keep the past in mind, we will continue making efforts to convey to future generations the tragic memory of war and hand down peace to the children of the future, realizing a lasting peace in the world with the members of Mayors for Peace.

8. Kunihiko Takahashi, Mayor of Komae City, Tokyo

This year marks the 7oth anniversary of the atomic bombings and the end of World War II. In this milestone year, the city of Komae will pursue activities with the participation of our citizens to convey our desire for building peace in the world. As a “peace declaration city,” I share our determination to create a city which promotes peace.

9. Koichi Maruyama, Mayor of Nishitokyo City, Tokyo

The city of Nishitokyo has designated April 12, the day when our city suffered massive damage in an air raid in World War II, as “Nishitokyo Peace Day,” intended to promote the city’s desire for peace and an end to war and nuclear weapons. With our wish to see the abolition of nuclear arms and a lasting peace in the world, we have also adopted a “Nuclear-Free Peace City Declaration.”

Marking the 7oth year of the atomic bombings and the end of World War II, we must remember the tragic experiences of war and hand them down to the generations to come. Toward this end, we plan to continue our peace activities.

I sincerely hope that a peaceful and fair world without nuclear weapons will be achieved.

10. Fuyuhiko Otsubo, Mayor of Hino City, Tokyo

The city of Hino has been pursuing peace activities since adopting the “Hino City Nuclear Weapon Abolition Peace City Declaration” in 1982.

The world, however, has not been able to eliminate war or nuclear weapons.

In order to realize a peaceful world, it is important to adopt postures that can deepen mutual understanding among nations and contribute to international cooperation, as well as hand down the tragedy of war and the preciousness of peace to younger generations, the builders of the future.

Through the activities of Mayors for Peace, I would be pleased if I could convey to the next generation the preciousness of peace.

11. Norio Takano, Mayor of Fuchu City, Tokyo

The city of Fuchu issued the “Fuchu City Peace City Declaration” in August 1986 with the desire for a lasting peace in the world and the firm determination to hand down our beloved local community to the future. As nearly 30 years have passed since this declaration, and almost 70 years since the atomic bombings, the number of people who experienced the war and the bombings is declining, year after year. In this light, I believe we face a critical moment for promoting peace. Our city will carry on with determination to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons and the philosophy of world peace to the next generation, the builders of the future, by bringing together the desire for peace of each citizen.

12. Joichi Ishizaka, Mayor of Machida, Tokyo

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki stole away the lives of tens of thousands of people, and have left so many others suffering from its aftereffects even today.

So that this tragedy will not be repeated, the city of Machida declared itself a “Nuclear-Free Peace City” in 1983.

I believe it is important for our city, a nuclear-free and peace city, to relate the horror of war to younger generations, the builders of the future, and convey the preciousness of the lives that were lost and the importance of peace.

I would like to create a peaceful city which holds the desire not to wage war again by linking the hearts of our citizens for a nuclear-free and peaceful future.

13. Keiko Kiyohara, Mayor of Mitaka City, Tokyo

I believe that abolishing all nuclear weapons from this earth is a desire shared by all of humanity and continuing to call for nuclear abolition is our obligation as citizens of the only nation in the world to have experienced nuclear attack.

The city council of Mitaka adopted the “Mitaka City Nuclear-Free City Declaration” in 1982 and enacted the “Ordinance regarding the Promotion of Peace Measures in the City of Mitaka” in 1992. With these intentions, we have been proactive in promoting peace efforts as a municipality.

We urge that efforts continue to be made alongside Mayors for Peace to help transform the 21st century into a century without nuclear weapons, war, or conflict.