July 9, 2019

The 2019 World Conference against A and H Bombs will be held in the A-bombed cities of Hiroshima (August 3-6) and Nagasaki (August 7-9). Akahata on July 9 carried an interview with the Secretary General of the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo), Yasui Masakazu, about features of this year’s World Conference.

In the Akahata interview, Yasui pointed out that the 2019 World Conference will serve as a prelude to the year 2020 which will celebrate moments in the context of achieving a world without nuclear weapons: the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); and the quinquennial NPT Review Conference.

Yasui said that in order to fulfill Hibakushas’ demand that nuclear weapons be eliminated while they are still alive, this year’s World Conference, in preparation for the 2020 NPT Review Conference, seeks to strengthen grassroots-based international cooperation among nuclear weapons states.

According to Yasui, among nations promoting the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons, Austria, Mexico, and Cuba will send government representatives to this year’s conference. Young activists and delegates of antinuke, peace groups will come from NATO member countries of Britain, Germany, and Spain as well as from the United States (where the U.S. Conference of Mayors recently resolved to call on 2020 presidential election candidates to give top priority to negotiations for the abolition of nuclear weapons). In addition, from the Philippines, Nepal, South Korea, and India, delegates of groups working to establish a peaceful, non-nuclear Asia-Pacific region will participate in the 2019 World Conference.

Yasui reported that the Civil Alliance working to abolish the war laws, the anti-base “All Okinawa” council, and the civil organization working to promote renewable energy have accepted the invitation to attend this year’s conference. He added that the World Conference organizing committee has also requested opposition parties to speak at the annual antinuke event.

Yasui noted that antinuke groups in the U.S. and European nations in May jointly announced their plan to hold a sister event of the World Conference in New York City next year. The Japan Gensuikyo secretary general stressed that this event will mark a milestone as a global action calling for the prevention of nuclear war, a total ban and the elimination of nuclear weapons, and support for and solidarity with Hibakusha.

Yasui said that this year’s conference is tasked to commit joint efforts that will ensure the success of the planned “World Conference in NYC”.

Stressing the need to turn Japan into a nation joining the antinuke UN treaty and taking a lead in the movement for the abolition of nuclear weapons, Yasui expressed his determination to work hard to have the 2019 World Conference become successful through advancement in the ongoing collaboration between opposition parties and concerned citizens in unified grassroots movements.