antiatom

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

World's peace movements are responding to call 'For swift abolition of nuclear weapons'

A new international anti-nuclear signature campaign "For Swift Abolition of Nuclear Weapons," started on January 1. Taka Hiroshi, secretary general of the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) gave an interview to an Akahata reporter on the significance of this campaign. He said as follows:

Nagasaki City Mayor Itoh Ichho in his message to us said, "Citizens and grassroots power can influence peace movements throughout the world." I think this is a message shared by many who took part in various anti-nuclear weapons activities last year marking the 60th anniversary of the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for a world free of nuclear weapons. I feel this way because international reactions to our appeal are quicker and more enthusiastic than expected.

Last year, the world's anti-nuclear weapons forces took part in actions in preparation for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference held in New York in May, urging nuclear weapons states, including the United States, to immediately fulfill their "unequivocal undertaking" to eliminate their nuclear arsenals that they had accepted during the 2000 NPT Conference.

60 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki

This became a common international goal. International anti-nuclear weapons movements, including Abolition 2000, participated in the "Abolition Now!" signature collection drive that we had launched toward the 2005 NPT Review Conference and the 60th anniversary of the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

However, the NPT Review Conference as well as the U.N. summit fell short of achieving tangible results because of the U.S. Bush administration's wrong-headed resistance.

After the NPT Review Conference, in order to realize a nuclear-free world, the world's NGOs as well as Japan Gensuikyo began discussing how to break through the biggest obstruction. Eventually, we arrived at a conclusion that NGOs have a responsibility to help increase public awareness of the need to abolish nuclear weapons, and late last year proposed a new signature collection campaign.

Our appeal had very positive responses. The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), a major international NGO, called on its branches throughout the world to join the campaign. Abolition 2000 suggested that we have this campaign as an international common effort.

Grass-root efforts can change the world

Many other public figures and peace organizations, including the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation LTD, the French Peace Movement, and Korean NGOs, have welcomed our new campaign as a "long-awaited initiative." We are making a good start, which we could not expect in the past.

In Japan, along with the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a wide range of people one after another sent us messages expressing support for the new campaign. I feel that confidence that the idea that grassroots efforts can change the world is one which is shared internationally.

In the 1980s we organized a signature campaign calling for support of the "Appeal from Hiroshima and Nagasaki." This proved to be a major contribution to developing international opinion in support of the call for preventing nuclear war and totally banning nuclear weapons. Our previous "Abolish Nuclear Weapons Now" campaign has helped governments, local governments, and non-governmental organizations join together to put pressure on the NPT Review Conference.

Building on these achievements, we are now calling on all U.N. member countries, including those that are not signatories to the NPT, to take action demanding a total ban on nuclear weapons.

The NPT Review Conference continues to be important, but we must bear in mind that this is not the only place to discuss nuclear disarmament issues. The NPT Review Conference's decision-making is based on consensus, and opposition from one country can prevent the conference from reaching agreement. The United States has made bad use of this rule.

U.N. role

What's more, the United Nations has responsibility for the implementation of the U.N. Charter to universally maintain the peace and security of the world. The first U.N. resolution adopted in January 1946 expressed the determination of the international community to eliminate atomic weapons from the world. If the NPT Review Conference or the Conference on Disarmament are not able to make progress in the effort to achieve this goal, the United Nations should do its part.

It is from this viewpoint that the appeal for the present signature campaign states: " In pursuit of a nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world, we herewith urge the United Nations Organization and all governments of the world, including the nuclear weapons states, to begin negotiations with no further delay to reach an international convention for a total ban on, and the elimination of, nuclear weapons." This call is in line with discussions going on internationally in the aftermath of last year's NPT Review Conference. This is how the appeal for the "swift abolition of nuclear weapons" has attracted a wide range of people.

In the U.N. General Assembly, resolutions calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons have been opposed by only five countries, including the United States.

The problem is that the government of Japan, the only country to be atom bombed, is always subservient to the United States instead of leading the world in the effort to abolish nuclear weapons. It has gone as far as to support the U.S. policy of using nuclear weapons and say that the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" and "nuclear deterrent" are indispensable to the security of Japan. What's more, the Japanese government is cooperating with the United States in strengthening the functions of U.S. bases in Japan as stepping-stones for U.S. preemptive wars and even trying to adversely revise the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution to turn Japan into a war-fighting country.

Increasing common action in Japan

The wishes of the Japanese people for peace and the dangerous moves of the Japanese government make the struggle for peace inseparable from the abolition of nuclear weapons. We will broaden discussions among the public on such issues as the Constitution, U.S. military bases, and U.S. policies while working hard to increase public opinion in support of the total prohibition and abolition of nuclear weapons, a demand that can be supported by a majority of the Japanese people.

We already have received many positive responses to the present call for the "swift abolition of nuclear weapons." We will try to broaden common action, at the national as well as regional levels, of all people who agree with the call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, by setting aside minor differences.

We in particular hope that young people in their own ways take active part in this movement as their task to ensure their peaceful future.

The second world youth assembly calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons will be held this summer in Hiroshima during the World Conference against A & H Bombs. In autumn, we will send a delegation to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

I sincerely hope that this signature campaign is used to increase activity to ensure a nuclear-free and peaceful future.
- Akahata, January 20 & 21, 2006