February 5, 2025

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Inoue Satoshi on February 4 attended a reception held by the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo to celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo.

About 140 people, including A-bomb survivors, peace activists, political party representatives, and diplomats, took part in the celebration.

Andreas Kravik, a state secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Nihon Hidankyo’s winning of the prize was timely given the fact that the danger of the use of nuclear weapons has been growing in the world. He pointed out that the international community needs to promote nuclear disarmament.

Tanaka Terumi of Nihon Hidankyo said Hibakusha hope that the Japanese government will sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and will take the lead in global efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. He added, “We Hibakusha will continue to work together to presure the government to change its stance.”

Kristian Harpviken, the director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, said the Nobel Committee will hold an event in Tokyo this summer.

A high school peace ambassador expressed her respect for the testimonies of Hibakusha, and said that the issue of nuclear weapons is an issue affecting everyone’s future.