February 26, 2025
The House of Representatives Budget Committee on February 25 held a public hearing on the government-proposed budget draft for fiscal 2025 at which eight people, including Tanaka Terumi of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), gave their opinions.
Tanaka in his statement of opinion pointed out that the government had forced people, who had been supposed to be the most affected, to endure the war damage equally. Moreover, it still has not made any compensation for the deaths caused by the atomic bombings in the war the government at that time started.
Tanaka criticized the government-sponsored budget draft for increasing military spending while allocating no budget for state compensation to civilian war victims.
Japanese Communist Party Dietmember Motomura Nobuko asked Tanaka about the “nuclear deterrence theory” the government advocates.
Tanaka, referring to the fact that Russia is threatening Ukraine with the use of nuclear weapons, stated, “The theory of nuclear deterrence presupposes the use of nuclear weapons. The use of such weapons is a clear violation of international law, and it is wrong to rely on nuclear deterrence as a means to deter other countries from using nuclear weapons or engaging in war.”
Motomura then asked him about the government’s continued refusal to sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Tanaka revealed that he feels “embarrassed” whenever he is told overseas that Japan should willingly join the treaty and tell the world about the reality of the aftermath of the A-bombings as well as the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons. He said, “The root cause of the present stance of Japan is that we have not been able to establish a government that will sincerely listen to our demand for the abolition of nuclear weapons,” adding, “We must work even harder,” to realize a government that will support and promote the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Tanaka in his statement of opinion pointed out that the government had forced people, who had been supposed to be the most affected, to endure the war damage equally. Moreover, it still has not made any compensation for the deaths caused by the atomic bombings in the war the government at that time started.
Tanaka criticized the government-sponsored budget draft for increasing military spending while allocating no budget for state compensation to civilian war victims.
Japanese Communist Party Dietmember Motomura Nobuko asked Tanaka about the “nuclear deterrence theory” the government advocates.
Tanaka, referring to the fact that Russia is threatening Ukraine with the use of nuclear weapons, stated, “The theory of nuclear deterrence presupposes the use of nuclear weapons. The use of such weapons is a clear violation of international law, and it is wrong to rely on nuclear deterrence as a means to deter other countries from using nuclear weapons or engaging in war.”
Motomura then asked him about the government’s continued refusal to sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Tanaka revealed that he feels “embarrassed” whenever he is told overseas that Japan should willingly join the treaty and tell the world about the reality of the aftermath of the A-bombings as well as the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons. He said, “The root cause of the present stance of Japan is that we have not been able to establish a government that will sincerely listen to our demand for the abolition of nuclear weapons,” adding, “We must work even harder,” to realize a government that will support and promote the elimination of nuclear weapons.
