Japan Press Weekly

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2020 November 4 - 10 [PEACE]

Two A-bombed city assemblies adopt statement calling on Japan to be party to UN N-ban treaty

In reaction to news that the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will come into force next January, the city assemblies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki adopted on October 27 and November 2, respectively, statements calling on the central government to sign and ratify the UN treaty.

The two city assemblies’ statements also demanded that even before signing and ratifying the treaty, Japan participate as an observer in a conference of States Parties. Regarding the conference, both assemblies expressed their intent to become a host city.

In their statements, the two assemblies placed importance on Japan’s role as the only nation in the world to have been subjected to atomic bomb attacks. The Hiroshima City Assembly in its unanimously-adopted statement pointed out that Japan should play a leading role in making the antinuke UN treaty highly effective. The Nagasaki City Assembly’s statement, which was adopted by majority vote, demanded that Japan take the initiative in the international community’s efforts to create a world without nuclear weapons.

At an extraordinary meeting of the Nagasaki City Assembly on November 2, Mayor Taue Tomihisa welcomed the statement, and expressed his intent to visit Tokyo together with the Hiroshima City mayor to demand that Japan sign and ratify the UN nuclear weapons ban treaty. He added that during his visit, he will also urge Dietmembers to actively discuss this matter in the ongoing Diet session. He also said that pairing up with Hiroshima, Nagasaki will play an important role in helping to achieve the ultimate goal of creating a nuclear weapons-free world.

Past related articles:
> JCP Shii calls for Diet efforts to push Suga gov’t to participate in UN N-ban treaty [October 27, 2020]
> Hibakusha celebrate news that UN nuclear weapons ban treaty will take effect starting next January [October 26, 2020]