Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2015 May 20 - 26 TOP3 [PEACE]

JCP urges China to drop its demand to delete visit proposal for A-bombed cities from NPT final text

Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Ogata Yasuo on May 19 met with the Chinese Embassy political counsellor, Zhang Sheping, at the JCP head office in Tokyo and requested that China withdraw its request to delete a proposal for world leaders’ visit to the two A-bombed cities from a draft final statement of the NPT Review Conference.

Ogata stated that the JCP as a political party of the A-bombed nation works for the elimination of nuclear weapons as an urgent and important goal to achieve to establish world peace. He expressed his concern over the fact that China disapproved of the proposal by citing historical issues.

The JCP vice chair pointed out that it is necessary to draw a line between Japan’s past war of aggression and the dropping of the lawless, inhumane weapons of mass destruction on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

He went on to say, “The two cities testify to the realities of atomic bombings, and that’s why Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) are calling on global political leaders to come to their cities. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also said that all leaders, especially those of nuclear weapons-states, should visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Ogata emphasized the significance of visiting the A-bombed cities.

Ogata added, “There is no justification for China’s request to remove the proposal for the Hiroshima/Nagasaki visits. To make such a request is to turn your back on the international movement and public opinion calling for a world without nuclear weapons as well as on the demands being made by Hibakusha and the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

The counsellor explained to Ogata about China’s stance and said that he will convey the JCP request to his superiors.

The following passage is to be excluded from the draft of the NPT final document if China’s demand is met:

In view of the 70th anniversary of the use of nuclear weapons, the Conference notes the proposal for world leaders, disarmament experts and youth to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to witness first-hand the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and to hear the testimonies of the survivors (Hibakusha).