Defend constitutional principles of peace and abolish nuclear weapons -- A preview of 2004 World Conference

One month before the 2004 World Conference Against A & H Bombs, Akahata in its June 23 issue carried a preview of the annual anti-nuclear gathering as told by Takakusagi Hiroshi, general secretary of the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo).

We have chosen a very simple theme for this year's World Conference: "Abolish Nuclear Weapons Now!" bearing in mind that we can make history by combining the global trend calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons with the various demands for peace, including opposition to the Iraq War and occupation.

Calls that influence the world

For the last 59 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) and the Japanese people have persistently called for "nuclear weapons to be banned", increasingly influencing the world. At the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May 2000, all participating countries, including the nuclear weapon countries, agreed to an "unequivocal undertaking" to eliminate nuclear arsenals. This is the fundamental direction confirmed by the U.N. millennium summit as the direction to be pursued in international politics.

Calls are increasing now for this agreement to be implemented.

Last Year's World Conference launched a new signature campaign "Abolish Nuclear Weapons Now!"

Support is also increasing for the appeal by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki mayors for an urgent action for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

I believe that the 2004 World Conference will accelerate these trends and help build activist solidarity across the world toward abolishing nuclear weapons.

Based on international law

The U.S. Bush administration is now reneging on all treaty obligations that would lead to the abolition of nuclear weapons by reducing all issues to a "war on terrorism". What's behind this approach is an anachronistic thinking of replacing the present world order based on the U.N. Charter and international law with one determined by military strength led by the United States.

This has led to the nonsensical idea that nuclear weapons are "insurance for security" if they are maintained by the United States, but that they are threats if they are in the hands of other countries.

In fact, in November last year, the Bush administration announced that it will resume research and development of mini-nuclear weapons, thus taking further steps toward bringing down the differentiation between nuclear and conventional weapons.

But that does not represent the way the world is moving. In fact, it came under criticism at a meeting held in April to prepare the next NPT Review Conference, with representatives of the non-aligned movement and the New Agenda countries. Those countries insisted on the need for all countries to work toward the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. They said nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are both urgent tasks.

The U.N. General Assembly last December adopted the resolution "Toward a nuclear-weapon-free world: a new agenda" by 133-6 and the resolution "Reduction of non-strategic nuclear weapons" by 128-4. Most U.S. allies did not side with the U.S. Bush administration.

Treasure of humankind

Another characteristic feature of this year's World Conference is that we added "the defense of the Japanese Constitution" to sub-themes that include: the abolition of nuclear weapons, the establishment of rules for world peace, and support for the Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors and other victims of nuclear weapons tests). We have received many comments from around the world wishing to join together to defend the war-renouncing Constitution as a treasure of not only Japan but the whole of humankind seeking world peace.

Recent events make us feel acutely the necessity of defending the Japanese Constitution. For example, Defense Agency Director General Ishiba Shigeru made an outrageous statement during the parliamentary discussion on the contingency-related bills. He said that many survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki even though they were at the hypocenter at the time and that the need is to prepare for nuclear attack. By saying this, he unexpectedly revealed that the contingency laws and future adverse revision of the Constitution are being contemplated as a part of a war plan assuming nuclear disaster.

The Bush administration not only maintains the policy of making preemptive attacks on countries the United States does not like, but indicates that it may use nuclear weapons in the same way as conventional weapons. This being the present U.S. policy, we have consistently warned that if Japan is incorporated in this policy, Japan will necessarily be involved in nuclear war.

Meanwhile, recent developments have shown that it is possible to resolve the issues of Iraq and North Korea through negotiations by building consensus in the international community on weapons inspections and talks instead of resorting to the use of military force.

This is why we are trying to devote all our energies to end Japan's subservience to the United States and block the road to the adverse revision of the Constitution. We are trying to remake Japan into a country that takes a lead in getting nuclear weapons eliminated the world over, a country that lets the Constitution guide in international politics in the quest of peaceful resolutions of international disputes. We will discuss this issue in the coming World Conference as a main task of the Movement against A & H Bombs.

Government representatives

This year's World Conference will be attended by representatives of a variety of movements that include international NGOs, the world's anti-nuclear movements, Hibakusha movements, and women's and youth movements. Cooperation is further developing between governments, public bodies, and NGOs. Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, deputy permanent representative of Mexico to the United Nations and Egypt's assistant minister of foreign affairs for multilateral relations Ess El Din will attend the coming World Conference. Ambassador de Alba represented the New Agenda Coalition at the recent preparatory committee meeting for the 2005 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. Egypt is a key country in Middle East affairs.

In Japan, we are putting great energy to the effort to build a broad cooperation by local governments and citizens' movement representatives. Hiroshima Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi has agreed to attend the World Conference.

Of course, the main players in the World Conference are grassroots activists who are supporting day-to-day activities, including collecting signatures calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the peace march, and support for the Hibakusha. Efforts to send delegates to the World Conference are already underway throughout the country. Young people are organizing bus and ferry trips. We would like to take the solidarity emerging from the World Conference to the one-million action in New York in May next year. We will also develop it into a great power in preparation for the 60th anniversary in 2005 of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (end)