Protests held against U.S. nuclear test

Many peace organizations throughout Japan, including atomic bomb survivors, raised their voices on August 30 in protest against the 18th U.S. subcritical nuclear test on August 29.

In Tokyo, the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo), the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), and the Japan Confederation of A and H Bombs Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo) held a rally in front of the U.S. Embassy.

Akamatsu Koichi, representative director of Japan Gensuikyo, read out a protest letter to U.S. President George W. Bush. He said that the subcritical nuclear test, tied to the U.S. strategy for starting a new war and using nuclear weapons, destroys all the world's efforts to achieve disarmament.

A 70-year-old Hibakusha from Saitama Prefecture, who participated in a protest action for the first time, said, "I had hardly told anybody that I am Hibakusha, but I joined peace activities to tell my experience to young generations. They must not experience the same tragedy we had 57 years ago."

In Hiroshima, about 80 people held a sit-in in front of the A-bomb monument in the Peace Memorial Park, adopting a letter to the U.S. president in protest against the nuclear test.

The Nagasaki A-bomb Survivors Casualty Council also sent a letter to the U.S. president saying, "If you have humanity, you must not carry out any nuclear tests in August."

Nagasaki City Mayor Ito Iccho made a comment in protest against the U.S. nuclear test, stating that by forcibly carrying out the test, the U.S. government ignored the peace declaration Ito announced at this year's Nagasaki Peace Ceremony, which criticizes the series of U.S. dogmatic actions. (end)