Storm of protests over North Korea nuclear test

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Storm of protests over North Korea nuclear test

In the wake of North Korea's announcement of a nuclear test, the mayors of atom-bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors), and peace organizations in Japan expressed their protest against it.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Hiroshima City Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi on October 9 said, "On behalf of the atom bombed city of Hiroshima, I strongly protest against it." On October 10, Akiba sent North Korea a written protest stating, "The nuclear test conducted in disregard of the international community's all-out diplomatic efforts aiming at a peaceful solution is absolutely intolerable. North Korea should immediately abandon its nuclear weapons program and fulfill its responsibility to seriously negotiate for nuclear disarmament through diplomatic efforts without depending on a nuclear deterrence."

Nagasaki City Mayor Itoh Iccho on October 9 sent North Korea a written protest stating, "Residents of the A-bombed city of Nagasaki who experienced the tragedy caused by the bombing are outraged and profoundly concerned about the test. As the mayor of Nagasaki, I cannot tolerate it." He also requested the Japanese government to resolutely stand against the test.

At the A-bomb Cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on October 10, 110 people from the Hiroshima Prefectural A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization (Hiroshima Hidankyo), the Hiroshima Prefectural Council against A and H Bombs (Hiroshima Gensuikyo), and other six organizations jointly carried out a sit-in protest. Placing importance on telling of the reality of the atomic bombings across the world and passing on this knowledge to younger generations, they expressed their hope to join hands with as many people as possible in order to abolish nuclear weapons.

The Nagasaki Council of A-bomb Sufferers (Nagasaki Hisaikyo) on October 10 sent out a letter of protest to DPRK National Defense Commission Chair Kim Jong-Il calling for immediately abandoning nuclear weapons. The letter pointed out that nuclear weapons not only indiscriminately kill many people instantaneously but also inflict long-term sufferings on survivors due to exposure to radiation.

The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) on October 10 issued a statement demanding that North Korea cancel its nuclear weapons program and that nuclear weapons possessing countries fulfill the "unequivocal undertaking" to eliminate their nuclear weapons they agreed to in the 2000 NPT Review Conference.

Anti-nuclear weapons group

The Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) on October 9 in its statement criticized North Korea's nuclear test as an "extremely dangerous act threatening the peace and security of Northeast Asia and bringing about new tensions in the region." It called on countries participating in the Six-Party Talks to resolve the problem peacefully and make efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Japan Gensuikyo also demanded that they begin negotiations on a treaty for a total ban of nuclear weapons.

Organizations of workers, peace activists, teachers, women, businesses, and medical workers also staged a protest against the nuclear test.
- Akahata, October 11, 2006