August 7, 2021

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on August 2 sent a message in solidarity to the 2021 World Conference against A and H Bombs. The full text of his message is as follows:

I send this message of solidarity from the bottom of my heart to everyone who is participating in the 2021 World Conference against A and H Bombs.

On January 22 this year, the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) came into force. For the first time, nuclear weapons have become identified as illegal under international law. This is a historic achievement made by the collective efforts of Hibakusha-led civil society and governments of many countries around the world. The number of countries that ratified the treaty has steadily increased, now reaching 55.

86 countries have already signed the treaty, which is nearly half of all UN member states. Let’s further increase support for and participation in the TPNW, and drive the group of nations supporting nuclear weapons into a corner. With the normative power of the treaty, we must pave the way to the total abolition of nuclear weapons.

In order to move toward “a world without nuclear weapons”, the role of Japan is crucial because Japan is the only nation that suffered from atomic bombs attacks in wartime. However, the coalition government of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties led by Prime Minister Suga has turned its back on the treaty on the ground of their reliance on the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” or “nuclear deterrence”. “Nuclear deterrence” theory presupposes the right to the actual use of nuclear weapons. As the only A-bombed nation, Japan must not be allowed to lend support to catastrophic disasters as inflicted on Hiroshima and Nagasaki onto other countries.

A general election will soon be held in Japan. We are determined to do our best to develop a joint struggle between concerned citizens and opposition parties, and to achieve a breakthrough in our party’s influence, in order to establish a new coalition government composed of opposition parties that will join the TPNW.

At this time, although we can’t see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and increase in tensions between major powers, this world conference is a beacon of hope for a new world order where governments and civil society work together for a “just and peaceful world without nuclear weapons”. I sincerely hope for the success of the conference.

Shii Kazuo, Executive Committee Chair of Japanese Communist Party