Statement by Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui
Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference
New York, USA
May 1, 2019
As Mayor of Hiroshima, I appeal to all delegations to respect, in your proceedings,
the heartfelt wishes of the hibakusha for a world without nuclear weapons. Carrying theburden of unbearable sorrow caused by the atomic bombing, they continue to warn us of thedevastating danger of nuclear weapons expressed by their deep humanitarian conviction that
“No one else shall ever again suffer as we have.” It was in this spirit that they wholeheartedly
welcomed the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017. They
are now anxious to see the Treaty enter into force as soon as possible and concrete progress tobe achieved in nuclear disarmament. UN Secretary-General Guterres’ disarmament agenda, inthis regard, is a source of encouragement.
Yet today we see disturbing trends, including the recent intention of the US andRussia to terminate the INF Treaty. Also, the global security system remains based on thedoctrine of nuclear deterrence and the nuclear-armed states keep modernizing their arsenals,
rather than implementing their NPT Article VI disarmament obligations.
In my role as President of Mayors for Peace, I ask you to exert all efforts to changethese negative trends. Mayors for Peace is a global network of mayors working to guarantee
the safety and welfare of their citizens. Inspired by the wishes of the hibakusha, we areworking on two key objectives: “Realization of a world without nuclear weapons” and“Realization of safe and resilient cities”—the two paths that will lead us to lasting world
peace. We are committed to making our cities safer and better places, where all citizens
regardless of their background feel at home, and where people with diverse backgrounds
respect and cooperate with each other in harmony like an orchestra. We are therefore against
any use of nuclear weapons, which would ruin such intensive efforts and bring aboutcatastrophic consequences.
The current negative trends surrounding nuclear weapons are confronting the global
community with the grave danger that such weapons might be used again. We must address
this crisis immediately. I ask all delegations—especially those representing the nuclear-armedstates—to recall that past nuclear disarmament measures were undertaken by courageouspolitical leaders who reached out even at times of great tension. We therefore ask alldelegations to agree on measures to stop the nuclear arms race, seek innovative solutions, andexercise bold initiatives to turn the confrontational security environment into one ofcooperative security. Increased confidence built through such joint efforts can lead to further
progress in disarmament. On our part, Mayors for Peace will spare no efforts to work with ourdiverse partners to support those political leaders willing to pursue such goals. We aredetermined to promote mutual understanding and cooperation in civil society, recognizing thatpast disarmament achievements have rested on a solid foundation of public support.
All NPT parties are under the obligation of Article VI to pursue nuclear disarmamentin good faith. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, in our view, is also in linewith Article VI of the NPT. We therefore encourage all delegations now in this session tomake the 2020 NPT Review Conference a success by engaging in earnest dialogue thattranscends differences and to agree on innovative solutions to advance concreate nuclear
disarmament and non-proliferation measures.