Japan Press Weekly

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2017 August 2 - 8 [PEACE]

2017 nationwide antinuke peace march arrives in Nagasaki

Participants in the 2017 National Peace March calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons arrived at their goal, the Nagasaki Peace Park, on August 6.

As they were greeted with singing and joyful enthusiasm, marchers waved their hands and entered the park with smiles on their faces.

They gathered in front of the Hypocenter Cenotaph to hold a rally with about 150 people, including local peace activists who greeted the arrival of the peace march, participating.

Sato Masayoshi, chair of the Nagasaki organizing committee for the 2017 national peace march and Yokoyama Teruko, vice-chair of the Nagasaki Atomic bomb Survivors Council, gave speeches in greeting. Nagasaki Mayor Taue Tomihisa’s message to the rally was read out.

A 25-year-old South Korean, who joined in the 2017 International Youth Relay Peace March and walked the Hiroshima-Nagasaki course, said, “The nuclear weapons ban treaty was adopted at the UN conference, after I began the march. In South Korea, the government halted the plan to construct nuclear power plants. After returning home, I will work even harder to promote peace.”

A 71-year-old female march participant, who walked the Miyazaki-Nagasaki course, said, “While walking together with other peace activists, I feel increasingly confident that we can change the world if we keep carrying on with our peace movements without giving up.”

Past related article:
> Nationwide peace march bound for Hiroshima/Nagasaki starts [May 7, 2017]
> Hiroshima welcomes 2016 nationwide anti-nuke peace marchers [August 5, 2016]