November 26, 2019

Commenting on Pope Francis’ speeches in Hiroshima and Nagasaki appealing for the elimination of nuclear weapons, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on November 25 said that the Japanese government should sincerely accept the Pope’s demand for a nuclear-free world.

Speaking to the press in the Diet building, Koike stressed that as the only country which experienced atomic bombings, if the Japanese government takes no notice of the Pope’s call, it will be criticized for turning its back on lessons learned from history as well as on the international community.

Koike pointed out, “The pontiff expressed his determination to work to eliminate nuclear weapons as a result of facing up to the catastrophic human consequences of atomic bombings. He denounced the nuclear deterrence theory by saying that nuclear weapons do not provide protection.”

Koike noted that Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide in response to the Pope’s speeches said that Japan will make decisions by utilizing a realistic approach. He insisted that the Japanese government should pay serious attention to the remarks by the Pope, one of the top religious leaders in the world. Koike said that a limitless nuclear arms race will only lead to a catastrophic consequence and that it is unrealistic to engage in such an arms buildup race.