National meeting held to promote 'Non-nuclear Kobe Formula'

A national meeting calling for the "Non-nuclear Kobe Formula" to be adopted by all Japanese ports was held from June 28-29 in Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture with about 450 attending from around the country.

On behalf of the Kobe-Gensuikyo (Council against A and H Bombs), Secretary General Kajimoto Shushi reported that since the enactment of the "Non-nuclear Kobe Formula", no U.S. warships have entered the Kobe Port. Under the formula, the U.S. Navy must submit a non-nuclear certificate to the Kobe Port Authority.

Otsu Hiroshi, professor at Tokai University, gave a lecture entitled "What local government can do to defend peace." On the contingency laws enacted early in June, he stressed that local governments have the right to disobey any government orders.

The professor suggested the municipalities concerned have exchanges with cities and towns of other countries so that they can demand a more peaceful commitment to international disputes.

A member from the "non-nuclear declaration campaign" in Yokosuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture referred to the Harbor Law which allows municipalities to manage respective ports,and called for requesting local governments to make use of the law.

An activist from Hiroshima Prefecture reported that the Peace-link Hiroshima-Kure-Iwakuni visited all city/town/village offices in Hiroshima to urge them to express opposition to the contingency laws.

Reports were also made on a campaign to enact the Three Non-Nuclear Principles by participants from Hokkaido and Tokyo. (end)