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2024 July 31 - August 6 TOP3 [PEACE]

JCP Chair Tamura speaks on what Japanese gov’t should do to eliminate nukes

Japanese Communist Party Chair Tamura Tomoko participated in various events held in Hiroshima City on August 5, including discussions with female Dietmembers on the theme of “nuclear weapons and gender issues” and with young voters who want to know about nuclear-weapon issues.

In a debate co-sponsored by the “Japan NGO Network for Nuclear Weapons Abolition” and the “Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons”, Tamura discussed the theme “Japan’s role toward nuclear weapons abolition” with A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha), representatives of the ruling and opposition parties, and experts.

Tamura said, “With a risk of the use of nuclear weapons becoming real in some parts of the world, Japan should break away from the ‘nuclear deterrence’ theory and join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW),” in order to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons.

She criticized as “extremely serious” the agreement reached at a Japan-U.S. ministerial (“2+2”) meeting on July 28 in which the two countries decided to jointly strengthen U.S. extended deterrence, including with nuclear weapons.

She pointed out that nuclear deterrence is nothing more than the threat to use nuclear weapons if push comes to shove, and that the U.S. government does not renounce the first use of nuclear weapons. She said, “Japan should never carry out a threat of nuclear war together with the United States.”

She continued, “As the only A-bombed country in the world, Japan should do its utmost to make the international community aware of the inhumane consequences of the atomic bombings and press the world’s governments to break free from nuclear deterrence.”

Tamura noted that in line with Articles 6 and 7 of the TPNW, global efforts have already begun to provide support to Hibakusha and victims of nuclear tests as well as to restore the environment in contaminated areas. She stated, “The TPNW is demonstrating its effectiveness. Japan’s cooperation in fully implementing the terms of the treaty is ardently required.”

She said that the Japanese government should participate as an observer in the 3rd meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the TPNW, scheduled for next March, and should sign and ratify the treaty without further delay.