Japan Press Weekly

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2023 September 27 - October 3 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Hibakusha call for retraction of Hiroshima city official’s ‘debate on US responsibility for atomic bombing will be shelved’ remark

Four organizations in Hiroshima City, including the Hiroshima Prefectural Council against A and H Bombs (Hiroshima Gensuikyo), on September 26 submitted to Mayor Matsui Kazumi a document protesting against a city official’s remark that “a sister park agreement will shelve discussions on the U.S. responsibility for dropping an atomic bomb on the city.” The four in their document also demanded the retraction of the remark.

The controversial remark was made on September 21 in a city assembly meeting in response to a question which Japanese Communist Party assemblyperson Nakamura Takae made in regard to the conclusion of a sister city park agreement between Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii.

In the submission of the document, Hiroshima Gensuikyo representative Takahashi Nobuo pointed out that the city government has stated that there is no choice but to abolish nuclear weapons in order to prevent their use. He said that to shelve the U.S. responsibility for the use of the atomic bomb contradicts the city government’s position.

In response, a senior official of the city government’s citizens bureau showed reluctance to accept the retraction demand.

Past related article:
> Hibakusha call for suspension of plan to conclude agreement on sister ties between Hiroshima and Peal Harbor parks [June 28, 2023]