August 5, 2020

Marchers in the 2020 nationwide antinuke Peace March that has eleven main routes covering all 47 prefectures on August 4 arrived at their destination, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City in Hiroshima Prefecture.

Welcoming the peace march, a rally took place at the park with around 250 people, including marchers and local peace activists participating. The participants resolved to further promote joint efforts for a peaceful and just world without nuclear weapons with the success of this year’s World Conference against A and H Bombs which will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Prior to the rally, the participants offered a minute of silence to those who were killed by the U.S. A-bomb attacks 75 years ago.

At the rally, Hiroshima Prefectural Federation of Trade Unions Chair Kanbe Yasushi, who also heads the local organizing committee of the Peace March, gave an address. He said, “Supported by peace-loving people and their passion for peace, the Peace March reached here today. Let us keep working to pressure governments of Japan, nuclear powers, and their followers to sign and ratify the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.”

One of the marchers said, “I am so happy to be able to relay people’s aspiration for peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons around the nation. While walking, I sometimes received warm encouragement from passersby. I will make use of my experience as a marcher in my peace activities.”

The rally received messages from Hiroshima City Mayor Matsui Kazumi and Hiroshima City Assembly chair Yamada Haruo.

After the rally, the participants in chorus shouted “Abolish nuclear weapons!” while carrying 11,000 pennants which municipal heads and local assembly chairs sent to the rally in a show of their support for an early entry into force of the antinuke UN treaty and for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Past related articles:
> 3-month nationwide Peace March arrives in Hiroshima [August 5, 2019]
> Nationwide antinuke peace march welcomed in Hiroshima [August 5, 2018]