December 1-3, 2023

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Kasai Akira, who was visiting NYC, on November 29 attended a forum held at the UN Headquarters, discussing international cooperation on assistance to victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons in accordance with the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

The forum took place as a side event of the TPNW 2nd Meeting of State Parties (MSP). Those who participated in this event included diplomats from signatories, some U.S. allies, and countries affected by nuclear tests, and parliamentarians and civil society representatives from across the globe.

Kasai referred to an atomic bomb survivor (Hibakusha)’s testimony given to the 2nd MSP. Stating, “The most important thing to remember is that Hibakusha’s suffering continues,” the JCP lawmaker stressed that many Hibakusha are not receiving the necessary support.

Kasai said that Japan, as a first step, should utilize the expertise acquired from its experience from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 78 years ago and play a role in international cooperation based on Article 6 and Article 7 of the TPNW. He added that as the next step, Japan should ratify the N-ban treaty and thus fulfill its international responsibility as the only A-bombed nation in the world.

On this day, Kasai held talks with UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Nakamitsu Izumi at UN Headquarters. The talks were joined by representatives of the Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo), Japan Federation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), and the Japan Peace Committee.

On the following day, together with Sakuma Kunihiko who chairs the Hiroshima Federation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo), Kasai visited the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN and handed the JCP petition to Deputy Permanent Representative Shino Mitsuko.

Furthermore, Kasai, along with Gensuikyo Vice Secretary Tsuchida Yayoi and JPC Secretary General Chisaka Jun, held talks with Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, on December 1.

The three handed to the Russian diplomat letters of petition which the JCP, Gensuikyo, and the JPC issued, respectively, at the start of the TPNW 2nd meeting.

Past related article:
> JCP sends a statement to the president of 2023 Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [November 27, 2023]