Japan Press Weekly

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2012 April 25 - May 8 [ANTI-N-ARMS]

2012 nationwide peace march for abolition of nuclear weapons starts

The 2012 nationwide peace march calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons started with participants in the Tokyo-Hiroshima course departing Yumenoshima Park on May 6.

More than 900 people participated in the opening ceremony held at the park.

“Nuclear weapons should be removed from the earth while A-bomb survivors are still alive. I’m 79 years old and I will do my best to achieve the goal during my lifetime,” Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) Assistant General Secretary Yamamoto Hidenori stated at the ceremony, and he received an appreciative round of applause from the audience.

Participants marched down the street calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, support for sufferers of the 3.11 disaster, and promotion of renewable energy sources.

This is the 54th peace march which was started in 1958. To include all the prefectures of Japan, there are 11 courses in total. Four courses are from Hokkaido to Tokyo, and seven are from Tokyo, Nagasaki, Okinawa, and other locations to Hiroshima.