Japan Press Weekly

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2009 June 10 - 16 [ANTI-N-ARMS]

Hidankyo calls for swift overall settlement of Hibakusha lawsuit

The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) on Jun 9-10 held its 54th general meeting in Tokyo.

On the first day, Health Minister Masuzoe Yoichi announced that it decided not to appeal the May 28 Tokyo High Court ruling that ordered the state to recognize nine Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) as suffering from diseases caused by exposure to atomic-bomb radiation even though Prime Minister Aso Taro is reluctant to give relief to all the plaintiffs in the Hibakusha lawsuit.

Under this circumstance, participants confirmed that they will redouble the effort to achieve a swift and overall settlement of the lawsuit.

In the opening speech, Hidankyo Chairperson Tohei Nori welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech in Prague calling for a world without nuclear weapons.

Referring to Hibakusha’s 18 consecutive wins in district and high courts in their six-year lawsuit demanding the certification of their ill health as A-bomb related, Tohei stressed that this victory has been made possible by Hibakusha and people’s hopes and struggles calling for “No more Hibakusha!”

In proposing a program of action for the next year, Hidankyo Assistant Secretary General Iwasa Mikiso called on participants to increase the movement to demand that the government compensate victims for the damage caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 based on what they achieved and learned from their lawsuit.

As the effort to achieve a success in the NPT Review Conference in 2010, Hidankyo Assistant Secretary General Kido Sueichi proposed that Hidankyo hold an A-bomb photo exhibition during the conference by sending 40-50 Hibakusha as well as to take part in campaigns in Japan and internationally to make known to the public the damage and aftereffects of the atomic bombings.

The meeting adopted a resolution demanding an overall settlement of the lawsuit and the conclusion of an international treaty to abolish nuclear weapons and a special resolution calling for action demanding the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo sent a message to the Hidankyo general meeting. He emphasized that struggles calling for “No more Hibakusha” have contributed to the new situation demanding global nuclear disarmament emerging throughout the world.

Citing U.S. President Obama’s Prague speech, Shii’s letter to Obama, and the U.S. government letter of response, Shii said, “The JCP will make every possible effort to welcome the day that people can celebrate their certain first step toward the total elimination of nuclear weapons.”