Hidankyo protest at DA chief's remarks: 'Many survived around ground zero'

Defense Agency Director General Ishiba Shigeru angered the public, in particular atomic bomb survivors (Hibakusha) of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when he tried to justify the war-contingency bills which are being discussed in the Diet on April 22.

Ishiba said, "Many people survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This makes it necessary to consider ways to minimize damage from a possible nuclear attack."

"Enacting the public protection bill in contingencies is aimed at letting an opponent know that nuclear attack cannot give major damage to its enemy," Ishiba added.

In a published statement on May 13, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) refuted Ishiba, stating that an overwhelming majority of citizens near ground zero in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were burnt to death.

"By stating that many people could survive even near ground zero, he is harboring an illusion that nuclear weapons are 'usable', which is by no means acceptable for Hibakusha who have been calling for 'No More Hibakushas'."

The statement also said, "'Missile defense is nothing other than establishing a system of 'nuclear star wars' and the militarization of space."

The statement calls on the Japanese government to abandon the dangerous idea of "nuclear defense" and take the lead in the global effort to have nuclear weapons eliminated. (end)