Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 30 - August 12 [PEACE]

Anti-nuke World Conference in Nagasaki calls for starting negotiations on Nuclear Weapons Convention

On August 9, the 69th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the 2014 World Conference against A and H Bombs in Nagasaki took place with about 2,000 people taking part from both home and abroad.

A representative from Fukuoka Prefecture took the platform and remarked that Fukuoka’s monthly signature-collecting drive seeking a total ban on nuclear weapons is marking its 30th year in September. He called on participants to make further efforts to stir up public opposition to atomic weapons and to send collected signatures to New York where the next NPT Review Conference will be held in May 2015.

Matsuo Sachiko, who was exposed to radiation in Nagasaki at the age of 11 and also lost seven family members, said, “Nuclear weapons are evil weapons. I don’t want to see such a hell again. It’s hard for me to accept the reality that atomic weapons still exist even 69 years after the bombings. I really hope that Nagasaki will be the last A-bombed city in the world.”

In the rally, five foreign delegates made statements as well; they were from Britain, Guam, India, Norway, and the United States.

Anne Schulthess, a British activist with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), pointed out that the majority of British people are opposed to their country’s possession of atomic weapons. She stressed that national budgets should be used for improving peoples’ lives, not for endangering them.

At its conclusion, the Conference unanimously adopted a resolution, the “Letter from Nagasaki” addressed to all governments in the world. Criticizing nuclear weapons states for maintaining the policy of nuclear deterrence, it called on every nation to enter into negotiations aimed at concluding a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) without delay.

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On the same day, around 5,900 people attended a peace memorial ceremony held at Nagasaki Peace Park, paying tribute to the victims of the atomic bombing.

Representing the organizers, Nagasaki City Mayor Taue Tomihisa read out the Nagasaki Peace Declaration. Noting that after World War II ended, Nagasaki citizens have continuously called for “No more wars”, along with “No more Hibakusha”, the mayor demanded that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo sincerely listen to the voices of people who are concerned about the recent decision made by the Abe Cabinet which allows Japan to use the right to collective self-defense.

Abe turned a deaf ear to this request. As he did three days ago in Hiroshima, he read aloud a prepared statement which is almost a carbon copy of last year’s statement.

Past related article:
> 5 Hibakusha in Kumamoto win court ruling on recognition of A-bomb illnesses [March 29, 2014]