Japan Press Weekly

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2011 August 3 - 16 [ANTI-N-ARMS]

2011 World Conf. against A&H Bombs in Hiroshima

The 2011 World Conference against A & H Bombs-Hiroshima was held on August 6 in Hiroshima City marking the 66th year following the atomic bomb attack. The conference adopted the “Call from Hiroshima”.

About 2,000 people from Japan and abroad attended the world conference.

Tsuboi Sunao, a representative committee member of the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), after relating his experience being atom-bombed, stressed that there should not be any more Hibakusha either from nuclear bombs, nuclear power plants, or from nuclear tests.

Tomita Koji, chair of the declaration drafting committee, expressed his deep concern about radioactive contamination caused by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. He said he is in solidarity with all those endeavoring to support the victims, end the crisis, and take measures to limit the scope of radioactive contamination.

In the organizers’ report, Tomita stated at the meeting, “Let us renew our determination to make all out efforts to completely ban nuclear weapons as early as possible and eliminate them from the world.”

Representatives from Fukushima and Miyagi, the prefectures hit by the Great East Japan Disaster, reported on the present situation in their areas.

Sato Mitsuo, representative of the steering committee, proposed an action program including a signature drive for a complete ban on nuclear weapons and for a start of international negotiations over a treaty banning nuclear weapons.

The action program includes the task to raise public consciousness in order to overcome the acceptance of the “nuclear deterrence” theory and to strengthen support for all victims of radiation, including Hibakusha, and to eliminate the potential of contamination from radiation.