Organizing Committee
World Conference against A and H Bombs

原水爆禁止2016年世界大会

2-4-4 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8464 Japan
Tel: 03-5842-6034 Fax: 03-5842-6033
E-mail: intl@antiatom.org December 20162016 World Conference
against A and H Bombs
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 2-9, 20162016 World Conference against A & H Bombs

Organizing Committee
World Conference against A and H Bombs

DIC-16

2016 World Conference
against A and H Bombs
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 2-9, 2016

Main Theme:- A Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World -Organizing Committee
World Conference against A and H Bombs

Table of Contents
Declaration of the International Meeting ……………………………………………….… 1
Letter from Nagasaki to All Governments of the World ……………………………….… 4International Meeting, 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs………………….5
Opening Session (August 2)………………………………………………………………………… 5
Address of the Organizer:
Noguchi Kunikazu, Co-Chair of Steering Committee, Organizing Committee
Greetings on behalf of the Hibakusha:
Kido Sueichi, Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo)Special Report:
Sergio Duarte, Former U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)

Messages from Heads/Leaders of National Governments and International Organizations………12
Plenary Session I: “Damage and Suffering from A-Bombs in Hiroshima & Nagasaki;
Inhuman Nature of Nuclear Weapons; Struggle of the Hibakusha” (August 2) ………………….. 15
Introductory Reports:………………………………………………………………………………….15
Yano Miyako, Hibakusha of Hiroshima
Koo Jung Sung, Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty Association, R.O.K.
Nakagawa Shigenori, Lawyer/ National Counsel for No More Hibakushas Lawsuit
Abacca Anjain Maddison, Former Senator/ Iju in Ean Club, People of Rongelap, Marshall Islands
Oleg Bodrov, Filmmaker/ Green World, Russia
Gediminas Rimdeika, Green Policy Institute/ Lithuanian Green Party, Lithuania
Saito Osamu, M.D., Watari Hospital, Fukushima/ Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Gensuikyo)
Statements:…………………………………………………………………………….…………… ... 31
Cha Moo Nam, Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty Association, R.O.K.

Plenary Session II: “International Treaty for the Prohibition and Elimination of Nuclear Weapons;
A World without Nuclear Weapons; Role of Peace Movement and Civil Society”㸦August 2㸧…….. 32
Introductory Reports:…………………………………………………………………………………32
Joseph Gerson, American Friends Service Committee, U.S.A.
Carol Turner, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, U.K.
Selma van Oostwaard, PAX, the Netherlands
Yasui Masakazu, Japan Council against A & H Bombs
Statements: ……………………………………………………………………………………………40
Ogata Yasuo, Committee of Chairpersons, Organizing Committee of World Conference/
Japanese Communist Party
Yoneyama Atsuko, New Japan Women’s Association
Roland Gardien, French Peace Movement, France
Bui Lien Huong, Vietnam Peace Committee, Vietnam
 Raymond Vincent Lujan, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice, Guam

Plenary Session III: “Working Together for a World without Nuclear Weapons; Overcoming
Nuclear Deterrence Doctrine; Peaceful Settlement of Conflicts; End to Nuclear Power Plants;
Safe and Secure Life and Environment” (August 3) ………………………………………………46
Introductory Reports:……………………………………………………………………………....... 46
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action, U.S.A.
Park Jung Eun, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, R.O.K.
Jordi Calvo Rufanges, International Peace Bureau/ Centre Delàs for Peace Studies, Spain
Senaga Misao, Member of Okinawa Prefectural AssemblyStatements:………………………………………………………………………………………….…53
Corazon Fabros, Nuclear-Free Philippines Coalition, the Philippines Guerrero (AG) Saño, Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement, the Philippines Mercedes Llarinas Angeles, Peace Women Partners
 Shreedhar Gautam, Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organisation of Nepal
 Purna Bahadur Maharjan, AAPSO Nepal
 Dhyan Bahadur Subba, AAPSO Nepal
Anasua Roy Choudhury, India
Arup Kumar Das, India

Closing Session (August 4)………………………………………………………………………………... 60
Reports from Workshops:
Workshop I: Haleigh Copley-Cunningham, Tufts University Peace Action, U.S.A.
Workshop II: Irene De Vera, Pangasinan State University, the Philippines
Workshop III: Raymond Vincent Lujan, Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice, Guam
Report from the Scientists’ Forum:
Hagiwara Shinjiro, Japan Scientists’ Association
Organizing Committee’s Letter to the U.N. Open-Ended Working Group…………………………65

Opening Plenary, 2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs – Hiroshima(August 4) …………………………………………………………………………………. 67
Keynote Address on Behalf of the Organizer:
Tomida Koji, Drafting Committee Chairperson of the International Meeting
Greetings from Hiroshima Mayor:
Matsui Kazumi, Mayor of Hiroshima City
Greetings from Guests:
Iwasa Mikiso, Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations
Nagao Utako, Lawyer/ Civil Alliance for Peace and Constitutionalism/ Mothers Against War
Statement by the Former U.N. High Representative:……………………………………………...... 72
Sergio Duarte, Former U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)
Appeal from the A-Bombed City Hiroshima to the World:
Representatives of Hibakusha Organizations in Hiroshima: Sakuma Kunihiko, Maeda Koichiro,
Kwon Jun O and Kim Jin Ho
Bui Lien Huong, Vietnam Peace Committee, Vietnam
Struggles and Campaigns for a Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World:
Ray Matsumiya, University of the Middle East Project, U.S.A.
Park Junk Eun, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, R.O.K.
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action, U.S.A.
Relay Talk: “Developing grass-roots cooperation for a nuclear-free and peaceful Japan where
Article 9 of the Constitution will be given full play”: ……………… ...................................................... 79
Koketsu Atsushi, Yamaguchi University/ Joint Candidate in the House of Councilors Election 2016
Maruyama Minoru, Nagano Gensuikyo
Reports on the Nationwide Peace March - International Youth Relay Marchers:
Raymond Lujan (Guam), Matet (Mary) Norb (The Philippines), Nozawa Yasuyuki (Aichi, Japan),
Kim Jung Geun (R.O.K.), AG Saño (The Philippines),

International Forum: “Achieving a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons - Dialogue between
Governments and NGOs (August 5).………………………………………………………...….… 82
Panelist Presentations:
Sergio Duarte, Former U.N. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)
Joseph Gerson, American Friends Service Committee, U.S.A.
Selma van Oostwaard, PAX, the Netherlands
Hiroshi Taka, Japan Council against A and H Bombs

Closing Plenary, 2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs – Hiroshima(August 6)……………………………………………………………………………..……. 91
Speeches by Representatives of the U.N. and National Governments:
Kim Won-soo, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the United Nations
Miguel Ruiz-Caba³as Izquierdo, Vice-Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, Ministry ofForeign Affairs, Mexico
Seiko Luis Ishikawa Kobayashi, Ambassador to Japan, Venezuela
Special Program: 71 Years of the A-Bombing: Aspirations of the Hibakusha: ………………….… 94
Matsumoto Hideko, Hibakusha of Hiroshima Koo Jung Sung, Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty Association, R.O.K.
 Abacca Anjain Maddison, Former Senator/ Iju in Ean Club, People of Rongelap, Marshall Islands
For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons – Speeches by Overseas Delegates:………………………… 96
 Gediminas Rimdeika, Green Policy Institute/ Lithuanian Green Party, Lithuania
Selma van Oostwaard, PAX, the Netherlands
Jordi Calvo Rufanges, International Peace Bureau/ Centre Delàs for Peace Studies, Spain
Carol Turner, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, U.K.
Joseph Gerson, American Friends Service Committee, U.S.A.
 Determination of Grass-Roots Movements in Japan: …………………………………………… 100
Misaki Kaoru, Fukushima Gensuikyo
Niga Satomi, Kyoto Chapter, New Japan Women’s Association
Matsuura Shunta, Tokyo Students Tour to the 2016 World Conference Proposal for Action: …………………………………………………………………………………102
Yasui Masakazu, Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo)
 A Call from Hiroshima

International Forum: “For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons – Grass-roots Movement andInternational Solidarity” (August 8) ………….……………………………………………….… 106
Greetings from Nagasaki Mayor:
Taue Tomihisa, Mayor of Nagasaki City
Panelists Presentations:
Joseph Gerson, American Friends Service Committee, U.S.A.
Carol Turner, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, U.K.
Selma van Oostwaard, PAX, the Netherlands
Lee Jun Kyu, University of North Korean Studies, R.O.K.
Tsuchida Yayoi, Japan Council against A and H Bombs

2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs – Nagasaki Day Rally (August 9) ...... . 112
Greetings on Behalf of the Hibakusha:
Taniguchi Sumiteru, Co-Chairperson, Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations
Special program: 71 Years since Nagasaki – Aspirations of the Hibakusha:………………………113
Fukahori Satoru, Hibakusha of Nagasaki
Abacca Anjain Maddison, People of Rongelap, Marshall Islands
For a World without Nuclear Weapons - Speeches by Overseas Delegates:……………………… 114
Oleg Bodrov, Green World, Russia
Roland Gardien, French Peace Movement, France
Bui Lien Huong, Vietnam Peace Committee, Vietnam
Corazon Fabros, Nuclear-Free Philippines Coalition, the Philippines
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action, U.S.A.
Grass-roots Movement of Japan and Peace Marchers:………………………………………… .... 117
Hayashida Mitsuhiro, Hibakusha Appeal Signature Campaign
Abe Hiromi, Lawyer/ Joint Candidate in the House of Councilors Election 2016
Magiting Fabros and Valtimor Fenis, International Youth Relay Marchers

Appendices: ǥǥǥǥǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤǤ119
List of Overseas Delegates and Guests in the 2016 World Conference
Messages of Solidarity from Overseas
Program of Events of the 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs
List of Organizing Committee Mmembers



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2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs

Declaration of the International Meeting
Seventy one years ago, the USA used nuclear bombs for the first time against humanity byreleasing atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With tremendous destructive power and radiation,
the two bombs burned out the cities and claimed the lives of about 210,000 people by the end of theyear. It was a hell on earth. The Hibakusha who survived then had to suffer from latent effects andsocial discrimination for many subsequent years. Such inhumane weapons should not be used again inany circumstances whatsoever.
The nuclear powers still maintain more than 15,000 nuclear warheads. Not a small number ofthem are on alert for launch. The concern for the outbreak of nuclear war due to deteriorating regional
tensions is real. A recent study shows that even if only a small percentage of existing nuclear weapons
are used, it would cause serious climate change and would bring the human race to the brink ofextinction. The elimination of nuclear weapons is an urgent task for the very survival of the humanity.
By international law and justice, weapons of mass destruction are widely perceived to be illegal.
As biological and chemical weapons have been banned by international treaties, nuclear weapons
should be banned immediately and made illegal.
At present, a new move to open the door to a “world without nuclear weapons” is developing.
Substantial discussions for a treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons have begun at the United
Nations.
The 70th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted by majority a number of resolutions
calling for the start of negotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons. With the support of morethan 70% of the member states, it also decided to convene an open-ended working group (OEWG) todiscuss “concrete effective legal measures” to achieve “a world without nuclear weapons”. The
meetings of the OEWG turned out to be an epoch-making opportunity where substantive matters for atreaty to ban nuclear weapons were discussed, and the convening of a conference in 2017 to negotiate
a treaty was proposed. We cordially request that the OEWG include the commencement ofnegotiations for a treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons in the recommendations submitted tothe coming session of the UN General Assembly.
The motive power of these developments is found in the anti-nuclear peace movement all
around the world, including the Hibakusha who have kept warning about the inhumanity and atrocityof nuclear weapons. The appeals of Hibakusha in the international political arenas have elicited huge
responses. Through the 2015 NPT Review Conference, where international anti-nuclear peace
movements rallied, the voices demanding legally binding measures have expanded ever more widely.
The forthcoming session of the UN General Assembly in autumn will have discussions,focusing on the report of the OEWG. To ban nuclear weapons by treaty and eliminate them is the longstanding core demand of the World Conference against A and H Bombs. Now is the time to makeevery possible effort to build overwhelming public support to achieve this goal.
The five nuclear powers of the USA, Russia, the UK, France and China are working in unison tocounter this development. Their posture and that of their allies who follow them is clearly a major
obstacle put in a way to achieve a “world without nuclear weapons”.
1They boycotted the OEWG, and their allies who spoke for them, including Japan, oppose any
immediate step to take to achieve the elimination of nuclear weapons and insist that the “step-by-step”
is the only practical approach. History proves, however, that this approach does not really lead us one
step closer towards nuclear disarmament. It is an approach that puts off the abolition of nuclear
weapons into indefinite future.
While being defensive before the argument on humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons,
the nuclear powers still cling to the “nuclear deterrence” doctrine, saying that the security aspects
should also be considered. The essence of this argument is to try to justify the use or threat to use
nuclear weapons against other countries to protect so-called national interest, which is the mostdangerous concept. Besides, deterrence has actually induced nuclear proliferation in the name of“self-defense”, and thus helped spread threat to peace.
Opening a door to a “world without nuclear weapons” will only be possible by defeating such
absurdity in the posture of the nuclear powers.
The focal point today is a treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons. We must make every
effort to strengthen the movement and public opinion demanding the commencement of negotiations
and conclusion of such a treaty. No first use of nuclear weapons and ban on their use, ratification of
the CTBT, ending the development, replacement and modernization of nuclear arsenals, and reductionof nuclear armament are also all important. These measures will become more effective, if the
movement and public opinion demanding an agreement on the prohibition of nuclear weapons aremobilized.
The nuclear weapon-free zones are playing an important role for regional peace and security,and their further development is called for. As agreed upon by the past NPT Review Conferences, aninternational conference for the creation of a nuclear weapon and WMD-free zone in the Middle East
should be convened with no further delay. The problem of nuclear development of North Korea should
be resolved through diplomacy, including the resumption of the six party talks.
To achieve a “world without nuclear weapons”, it is essential to resolve regional conflicts andcontentious problems by peaceful means based on the peace principles of the U.N. Charter andinternational law, excluding the use or threat to use force. International community in unity must
isolate and root out terrorism, which resorts to indiscriminate killing, by non-military means. For the
purpose of preventing proliferation, it is all the more urgent to reach an agreement to prohibit andeliminate nuclear weapons.
Releasing greater resources by drastic cuts in military expenditures, including the cost for
maintenance and development of nuclear forces, overcoming poverty and disparity, improvement ofliving standard and welfare, and protection of human rights and democracy are all integral parts of “apeaceful and just world”.
Although the Japanese Government is expected to play an appropriate role as the only
A-bombed country, it is actually acting as a spokesperson for nuclear powers. At home, it forced
through the security-related laws, or War Laws, disregarding the constitutional principles of peace, toconsolidate its readiness to take part in war overseas. Relying on the US “nuclear deterrence”, it iseven taking the position of agreeing to the use of nuclear weapons. Underlying this is the absolutepriority given to the Japan-US military alliance.
In the meantime, a wide range of people have risen in action demanding the abolition of War
Laws and restoration of constitutionalism. Against this background, all opposition parties came
together to field their united candidates in the House of Councilors elections in July. In Okinawa, a2united candidate who opposes the construction of a new US base defeated a former Cabinet member.
The Japanese anti-nuclear peace movement took active part in this struggle. The International Meetingof the 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs expresses solidarity with the Japanese
movement which stands in defense of the Constitution and works to establish a non-nuclear andpeaceful Japan.
The movements and public opinion of the peoples of the world are the driving force to open anuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just future. We propose the following actions:-- To build the “International Signature Campaign in Support of the Appeal of the Hibakusha,
the Atomic Bomb Survivors of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons” andother actions to build public opinion demanding the start of negotiations for a treaty to ban andeliminate nuclear weapons, with the goal of hundreds of millions signatures collected worldwide. To
help to promote these actions, we will continue to make widely known the damage of Hiroshima andNagasaki and help Hibakusha to speak about their experiences internationally. We will carry out these
activities particularly on such occasions as the nuclear disarmament deliberations of the UN General
Assembly, UN International day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Sept. 26) and UN
Disarmament Week (Oct. 24-30).
-- Let us extend relief and solidarity with the Hibakusha and support them to achieve theirdemand for state compensation. Let us call for the relief of the victims of the nuclear tests and nuclear
plant accidents. Let us strengthen our support of the sufferers of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power
Plant accident. We strengthen our solidarity with the zero NPP movement. Let us extend our support
to the victims of Agent Orange and depleted uranium, and other war victims.
-- Let us strengthen our solidarity with all such movements against war and for peace, reduction
and dismantling of foreign military bases from Okinawa, Guam and other places, effective control ofarms exports and military industry, cuts in military expenditures, improvement of living conditions,employment and social welfare, overcoming poverty and disparity, prevention of climate change,
protection of global environment, elimination of sexism and other discriminations, overcoming social
justice and for sustainable development.
The Hibakusha appeal: “It is our strong desire to achieve a nuclear weapon-free world in our
lifetime, so that succeeding generations of people will not see hell on earth ever again.” Responding totheir pressing desire, with fresh determination, let us make many steps forward to a “nuclear
weapon-free, peaceful and just world”.
August 4, 2016
International Meeting, 2016 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs

3

Resolution of the 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs - Nagasaki, August 9, 2016

Letter from Nagasaki to All Governments of the World
Assembled in the A-bombed city of Nagasaki on August 9, 2016, we appeal with Hibakusha, theA-bomb sufferers, to all governments to take action to achieve “a world without nuclear weapons” without
delay.
Seventy one years ago, two atomic weapons of mass destruction were used for the first time against
humans. With indescribably cruel effects, they claimed the lives of about 210,000 people by the end of thatyear. The use of nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity, which should never ever be repeated.
The Hibakusha who barely survived the calamities were further tormented by diseases, wounds, anxiety
and anguish. In the midst of this hardship, however, they refused to indulge in hatred or reprisal, but
resolved to work to “save the world” (the founding declaration of the Japan Confederation of A-and
H-bombs Sufferers’ Organizations, 1956). They have since devoted the rest of their lives to achieving “aworld without nuclear weapons”. Their struggle has given courage to many millions of people, andimpelled world leaders to act. The voices in favor of focusing on the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons
now prevail in international politics. We urge leaders throughout the world to visit the A-bombed cities toface the truth of the damage caused by nuclear weapons.
There are still more than 15,000 nuclear warheads in the world. The only way to guarantee that
nuclear weapons are never used again is through their total elimination.
In the current session of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) of the United Nations in Geneva, amajority of States called for legally binding measures, such as a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons, and a
proposal for the UN General Assembly to convene a conference in 2017 to negotiate an instrument to ban andeliminate nuclear weapons is supported by many countries. These are what civil society around the world, bothin nuclear weapons and non-nuclear weapons states, with the Hibakusha in the forefront, have long appealed for.
We sincerely hope that on the basis of the discussions of the Open-ended Working Group, the coming
71st Session of the UN General Assembly will make an epoch-making decision to open the door to a world
without nuclear weapons.
The average age of the Hibakusha now exceeds 80. They appeal that there should never be another
Hiroshima or Nagasaki anywhere on earth, that there should not be another Hibakusha, and therefore that
nuclear weapons should be eliminated in their lifetime.
We cordially request your Government to give heed to the appeal of the Hibakusha and take bold steps
by undertaking the following actions.
- Make every effort for the commencement of negotiations for a treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear
weapons and make the nuclear disarmament deliberation this coming autumn at the 71st Session of the UN
General Assembly a decisive turning point towards the achievement of this goal:- Ensure that political leaders deepen their awareness of the inhumane consequences of the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by listening to Hibakusha and using photo-panels; and make widely
known to the people the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons.
We sincerely hope that responding to the intense desire of the Hibakusha that “Nagasaki be the last
victim of nuclear weapons”, you, Government leaders, will join hands with us civil society movements toopen the road to a “Nuclear Weapon-free, Peaceful and Just World.”

4

International Meeting2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs
Main Theme:
A Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful and Just World

East, Africa and North and South Americas.
From within Japan we will have many friends fromdifferent fields, including local government leaders,
who took the lead in the recent campaigns toabolish the so-called security-related legislations
and to restore constitutionalism, to end nuclear
power generation, or for the dismantling ofmilitary bases. Many Hibakusha of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki will also join us.

Opening Session (August 2)
Address of the Organizer:
Noguchi Kunikazu
Co-Chair of the Steering Committee
Organizing Committee of the World
Conference against A & H Bombs

Our Three Founding Objectives: Prevention of
Nuclear War, a Total Ban on and the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, and Relief for
and Solidarity with the Hibakusha, the A-bomb
Sufferers
The first World Conference against A and H
Bombs took place in August 1955 in Hiroshima,
where a nuclear weapon was used in war for the
first time in the world. It was participated in byover 5000 delegates, including participants fromcountries in Asia, Europe and the American
Continents.
Behind the participants was
mounting support from international opinion,
including hundreds of millions of people who
signed an appeal against nuclear war.
The

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I want
to warmly welcome you and extend our cordial
greetings of solidarity to you, who have come fromoverseas and all over Japan to participate in this2016 World Conference against Atomic andHydrogen Bombs.
Our Conference is going to haverepresentatives of national governments who standin the forefront and play a vital role in the effort tobuild momentum for a total ban and theelimination of nuclear weapons. We also have
many overseas representatives of anti-nuclear
peace movements, dedicated grassroots activists
and nuclear victims who are playing major parts in
Asia and the Pacific region, Europe, the Middle
5

At the 70th Session of the UN General
Assembly, the adoption of a number of resolutions
supported by the majority of the member states
gained wide attention. These resolutions included“Humanitarian
Consequencesof
NuclearWeapons”, “Humanitarian Pledge for theProhibition and Elimination of Nuclear Weapons”,
and “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-freeworld”, which emphasized nuclear disarmament as
an ethical obligation.
One specifically important resolution adopted
by the 70th UNGA session was titled “Taking
forwardmultilateral
nucleardisarmament
negotiations”. It decided to convene an“Open-ended Working Group (OEWG)” to
substantively address concrete effective legal
measures, legal provisions and norms that willneed to be concluded to attain and maintain aworld without nuclear weapons. Of the nuclear
powers, the USA, Russia, UK, France, China andIsrael voted against it and India and Pakistan
abstained from it. Yet it gathered support from 138
states, which represents 72% of all UN member
states. The OEWG, set up as a subsidiary bodyof the General Assembly, met in February and thenin May this year at the UN office in Geneva, and isgoing to meet soon this August to summarize thediscussions into a report to the General Assembly.
In the OEWG deliberations, the overwhelming
majority of governments noted grave humanitarianconsequences of any use of nuclear weapons aswell as the threat posed by the very existence of
nuclear weapons, and proposed to startnegotiations on legally banning and eliminating
nuclear weapons without delay. Let me present
now some of the arguments:
A representative of the Irish Government said,“In such a world where the safety, security andexistence of all humanity are at stake, there is noplace for nuclear weapons. That is what we arehere to discuss… In any other area of life, work or
governance, if something wasn’t working for overtwenty years, or indeed over seventy years, wewould try to fix it. That is our agenda here in thisOEWG.”A representative of South Africa, the only
country to have first developed and thenvoluntarily dismantled and destroyed its nuclear
weapons capability, said:,“… Our experience illustrates that nuclear
weapons do not guarantee security but rather
undermine it… Today, the costs related to nuclear
weapons amount to roughly more than double thedevelopment assistance provided to Africa. This
state of affairs is clearly not acceptable…As longas nuclear weapons exist, vertical and horizontal
proliferation will persist and the threat to humanity

participants renewed their determination to achievea ban on nuclear weapons and defeat the forces
who planned for atomic war. The “Declaration” ofthe first World Conference said in brief thefollowing:“- The delegates to this Conference havewitnessed the agony of the sufferers, and themisery of the victims of atomic and hydrogenbombs. …we record our opinion that the use of
these weapons is a denial of all standards ofhumane and civilized behavior. …The misery of
the atomic and hydrogen bomb victims must be
made known to the whole world. Relief for themis urgently required and should be organizedthrough an international solidarity movement. At
the same time we affirm that prohibition of atomic
and hydrogen bombs is the only way to avoid arepetition of their sufferings. We appeal to all
peoples of the world, irrespective of political,
religious and social differences, to carry on withthe utmost vigour the movement against atomic
and hydrogen bombs.
- Together with all the peoples of the world wemust expand and strengthen this movement until
prohibition of atomic and hydrogen bombs anddestruction of their stocks are realized and real
peace is attained for the whole of the human race.
The earnest desire for the peace of the world shallbe crowned with glory and victory.”(From “No More Hiroshimas”, 1955)
The declaration set the three objectives of theprevention of nuclear war, a total ban and theelimination of nuclear weapons and relief andsolidarity with the Hibakusha as the founding
principles of the movement against A & H bombs.
Despite the passing of almost 61 years since thedeclaration was adopted, nuclear weapons still
have not been eliminated.
Nevertheless,ceaseless and undaunted movements for theabolition of nuclear weapons since the first World
Conference are steadily bearing fruits. Today, we
are facing an opportunity to witness a major turntowards achieving a world without nuclear
weapons.
Deliberations at the Open-ended Working
Group: Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Gathering Momentum
The problem for inhumanity of nuclear
weapons, on which the Hibakusha have insisted forover a half century, has now been raised by many
Governments and civil society movements anddiscussed for years in international politics. Withit, voices calling for a ban and the elimination of
nuclear weapons are gathering wider and wider
support, and placing growing pressure on the
nuclear powers.

6

understanding of history.
The Japanese
Government has neglected efforts to resolve these
problems by peaceful means. It made a decisionin July last year to approve the use of the right tocollective self-defense, and then, the following
September, railroaded the “War Laws” at the Diet.
In April this year, the Cabinet adopted anotherdangerous interpretation of the Constitution as a
response to the Diet deliberation that Article 9 of
the Constitution does not necessarily ban Japan
from possessing and using nuclear weapons.
Also on nuclear disarmament, the Japanese
Government not only does not raise a total ban andelimination of nuclear weapons as the A-bombed
country, but relies on the US “nuclear umbrella”,
and is even expressing an attitude that it willapprove the use of nuclear weapons in extreme
circumstances based on the right of individual orcollective self-defense. According to a recent
report, the Japanese Government, in response to
the Obama Administration’s move to consider apolicy of no first use of nuclear weapons, solicited
for a bilateral consultation with the US, in fear thatsuch a policy change would undermine thecredibility of deterrence under the “nuclear
umbrella”.
It is speculated that the policy
examination in question might be shelved due tothe reactions of Japan and other US allies who areunder the US nuclear umbrella.
As thegovernment of the only country that has sufferedattacks with nuclear weapons, is this attitude not ashame?
We witnessed, however, a popular movement,of a scale unprecedented in post WWII history,rose up in protest against the Japanese
Government’s outrageous action last year. Thatdevelopment brought all opposition parties
together to work for the abolition of the war laws.
We find in it a new development of Japan’s
democracy. Some years ago, Ambassador Sergio
Duarte, when he was still High Representative of
the UN, referred to the signatures collected by thecivil society movement, saying, “Democracy iscoming to disarmament”. Remembering this, I
feel convinced that we can achieve a “nuclear
weapon-free, peaceful and just world” bypromoting this current of democracy in both Japanand the rest of the world.
The ongoing signature campaign in support of
the “Appeal of the Hibakusha, the Atomic Bomb
Survivors of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, for the
EliminationofNuclearWeapons”, andwide-ranging support and participation andcooperation in the Nationwide Peace March” arealso generating new changes, and thus helping toheighten public opinion in favor of peace.
We do not yet know how proposals andwill remain.”At the OEWG session, a group of 10 countries,
including Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Mexico, presented a nuclear weapons-free zones’
viewpoint to argue for nuclear disarmament:“… Although nuclear-armed states (NAS) bear
the ultimate responsibility to completely eliminate
their nuclear arsenals, it is a shared responsibilityof all States to prevent the humanitarian impact
and effects related to these weapons of mass
destruction.” They thus proposed that the reportof the session should include “convening a
Conference in 2017… to negotiate alegally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear
weapons.” If it is realized, a treaty to ban nuclear
weapons will be discussed for the first time within
the UN framework, an epoch-making progress.
The inhumanity of nuclear weapons, which the
Hibakusha have kept alerting us to for more than ahalf century, is now a focus of international politics.
Many countries are taking active part indiscussions at OEWG sessions to start negotiations
for nuclear disarmament. In this situation, what
attitude are the nuclear powers and “nuclear
umbrella” dependent countries taking?
The
nuclear powers boycotted OEWG, clinging to anarrow argument for security provided by “nuclear
deterrence”. Of the countries that rely on the US“nuclear umbrella”, a Japanese Government
representative said that legal measures arepremature in the light of the current environment.
Clinging to the “step-by-step” approach, whichputs off a ban and the elimination of nuclear
weapons, it is playing a role as spokesperson for
the nuclear powers. We cannot repress our anger
at the role played by the Japanese government toapply the brakes to the OEWG discussion on
legally banning nuclear weapons. It is more
important than ever before to put an end to thedependency of the Japanese Government on the“nuclear umbrella” and make it play a role
befitting the only A-bombed country.
Let Us Build up the Anti-Nuclear Peace
Movement and Public Support to Press for theStart of Negotiations for a Treaty to Prohibit
Nuclear Weapons
With the outbreak of conflicts, terrorism andmilitary interventions in many regions in the world,
the danger of war is imminent. Given that
nuclear powers and regions where nuclear
weapons are deployed and involved, this situation
is even charged with a danger of nuclear war. In
East Asia around Japan, conflicts and tension
continue, centering on the problem of nuclear
development by North Korea, problems onterritories and territorial waters, and on

7

arguments from different viewpoints will besummarized in the final report of OEWG. But
the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly will
receive the final report of OEWG, and the questionof whether or not it can take a step towards thestart of negotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear
weapons will certainly be its focal point. At thesame time, diplomacy alone cannot easily attainthe goal. As the UN and many governments’representatives have emphasized, the “role of civilsociety” on every important occasion, agroundswell of movements of people and public
support for them in each country will be of theutmost importance. I conclude my Organizer’s
speech by expressing my hope that the 2016 World
Conference against A and H Bombs now starting
will become an epoch-making opportunity in
defeating nuclear deterrence doctrine and inlaunching wide-ranging cooperation aroundconcrete policies to achieve a total ban and theelimination of nuclear weapons and to put an end
to any more nuclear damage.

out of strength. I was standing there in utter
amazement. Strange enough, I don’t remember
what she looked like at the time.
The next day we moved to Michinoo along theright bank of the Urakami River. I thought we
had come to quite a distant place but actually we
had walked only from 2 to 3.5 km from groundzero. My mother was carried on what had been adoor and I was put in a basket used for carrying
soil. I saw a city that had lost everything and asea of dead bodies and people looking for water.
It was something not of this world. It looked likethe end of the world.
Hibakusha have since been forced to endure alife in which they constantly fear the destruction of
their lives or of humanity because of physical andmental wounds left by the atomic bombing on thatday. We will never be free from being Hibakusha.
The Hibakusha, who saw hell on earth, do notforgive the use of nuclear weapons. But nor do
we seek to retaliate against the atomic bombing.
We demand that nuclear weapons be eliminated.
We want no one to share what the Hibakusha areexperiencing.
On August 10, 1956, eleven years after the
A-bombing, Hibakusha, who had been abandoned
and forced to keep silent, assembled to establish
the Japan Confederation of A-and H-BombSufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo. They
stated, “Up until now, we have kept our silence,
hid our faces, scattered ourselves and led our lives
that were left to us, but now, unable to keep ourmouths shut, we are rising up, joining our hands
and convened here.” This year marks the 60th
anniversary of the founding of Hidankyo.
Since its founding, Hidankyo has used key
occasions to conduct surveys regarding what theatomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
meant and what the atomic bomb has done tohumanity. We have continued to try to unravel thewhole picture of the enormous damage from theatomic bombings, which is not healed today, morethan 70 years since the bombing. Hibakusha haveconstantly had to deal with the lingering fear andthe psychological wounds in quest of the meaningof “the atomic bomb and humanity.” We haveovercome the crisis of human losses and paved theway for the survival of humanity that will not bebeaten by nuclear weapons. We have elaborated
the demand for no more Hibakusha and madeefforts to realize the goal.
Hibakusha are calling for “No war and no
nuclear weapons” and for “state compensation fordamage from the atomic bombing.
The call of Hibakusha and their supporters to
the world to stop nuclear war from breaking out
has helped prevent a third nuclear war. We take

Greetings on behalf of the Hibakusha:
Kido Sueichi
Assistant Secretary General
Japan Confederation of A-and H-BombSufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo)
A nuclear weapon-free world through successful
International Signature Campaign in
Support of the Appeal of the Hibakusha for the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to
speak at this International Meeting.
In the 2011 International Meeting, I was a“younger Hibakusha” speaker. Five years havepassed and I would no longer say I am the“younger” one. At age 76, I devote more time topondering over what I should do in the rest of mylimited life and to looking back on what I havebeen doing. I have arrived at the conclusion that I
am someone who was born into this world and that
I was exposed to atomic bomb radiation. That waswhere my life started.
On August 9, 1945, I heard a sonic boom.
The moment I looked up at the sky, as the roarwent off, I was struck by an intense flash and a big
bang. I was blown more than 20 meters and fell
unconscious on the street 2 km from ground zero.
My mother had burns on her face and chest. I
also had burns on half of my face. She took me
to a bomb shelter half way up Mt. Inasa in
Nagasaki and lay down. She seemed to be running8

weapon countries clinging to nuclear deterrence
theory, and people in all other countries join forces.
Let us collect hundreds of millions of signatures tochange nuclear policies and realize a world without
nuclear weapons.
We want to do this with International Meeting
participants and people around the world.
That is my appeal and that is my determination.

pride in this successful effort by Hibakusha andyou all.
Nevertheless, there are stockpiles of more than
10,000 nuclear weapons around the world, andtheir destructive power and precision are being
upgraded and strengthened.
What’s more,
following the five nuclear powers—the UnitedStates,Russia,Britain,France,and
China—countries such as, India, Pakistan, Israel,and North Korea started to possess nuclear
weapons.
Some leaders among the nuclear
powers even suggest the possible use of nuclear
weapons. The critical situation still persists.
With a number of non-nuclear-weapon statesleading the effort to condemn nuclear weapons on
the grounds of their inhumanity and the inhumannature of the damage done by nuclear weapons,
movements are growing year by year to call forbanning the use of nuclear weapons andeliminating them.
The Second International
Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of
Nuclear Weapons held in Nayarit, Mexico, in
February 2014 had an unusually long session on
Hibakusha, where five Hibakusha and theirsupporters, including Tanaka Terumi, Secretary
General of Nihon Hidankyo, and Fujimori Toshiki,
Assistant Secretary General, made moving
speeches, setting the keynote of the meeting. I
keenly felt that this shows the significance of
Hibakusha and our movement.
When the call for opposition to war, for theelimination of nuclear weapons, and for statecompensation for damage from the atomic
bombings is met, Hibakusha can live as acornerstone of peace, and the fallen atomic bomb
victims can at last rest in peace.
I believe that as their historic mission
Hibakusha must build a foothold for humanity to
avoid repeating the mistake. That’s the only thingthat Hibakusha can pass to the next generation.
“At present, humanity stands at the crossroadsof whether to save our blue planet with all living
things on it as it is, or to go along the road ofself-destruction…..The average age of the
Hibakusha now exceeds 80. Their strong desire
is to achieve a nuclear weapon-free world in their
lifetime so that future generations will not see hellon earth ever again. To achieve this aim, theHibakusha have proposed an “International
Signature Campaign in Support of the Appeal of
the Hibakusha for the Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons.”
A large number of people in and outside Japan
have been responding positively to the campaign
as they can sign regardless of thought, creed orpolitical views. It is important that people in the
only A-bombed country Japan, people in nuclear

Special Report:

Sergio Duarte
Former U.N. High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)
A NUCLEAR WEAPON-FREE, PEACEFUL
AND JUST WORLDI have been associated with the work of theJapan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen
Bombs since 2003, when I began the preparationof the 2005 NPT Review Conference. Over theyears I have attended some of your conferencesand enjoyed your company and your hospitality. I
am grateful for those opportunities to exchange
views with you on the subject of the achievementof a world free of nuclear weapons.
Today once again I find myself here to
remember the tens of thousands of men, womenand children who perished in a flash on themorning of August 6, 1945 and the many more
who suffered a slow death in the wake ofdestruction and fear. And on several otheroccasions I was also in Nagasaki to remember thepeople who died there three days later.
9

These risks are well recognized. Reflecting
such concerns, the States Parties to the NPT— in
their consensus Final Documents at their Review
Conferences in 2000 and 2010—were able to reacha consensus that “the total elimination of nuclear
weapons is the only absolute guarantee against theuse or threat of use of nuclear weapons.”
Nuclear disarmament not only means reducing
the numbers of weapons in national arsenals. It
has to do with specific, concrete steps to achieve
this goal, based on a firm resolve to achieve it. A
serious commitment to nuclear disarmament would
manifest itself in many ways – including in policy
statements, in domestic laws and regulations, innational institutions dedicated to achieving that
goal, in budget allocations, and in votes on
disarmament initiatives in international arenas,
including the UN General Assembly. This iswhat would give substance and credibility to theoften-repeated cliché of “political will”.
Today, however, the world does not see muchevidence that these steps are underway. What we
see instead are long-term plans to retain or
improve these weapons or their delivery vehicles,
under the general euphemism of “modernization”.
Much more is still being spent on nuclear weapons
than on getting rid of them. We see nuclear
weapons complexes, not institutional disarmamentcomplexes. We see nuclear-weapon stewardshipprograms, but there are no comparable, elaborated
operational plans for the stewardship andfulfilment of disarmament commitments. We see
repeated public declarations of reductions in
deployments of nuclear weapons, but such claims
are difficult to assess given persisting problems oflack of transparency, verification, and proof that
non-deployed weapons are being irreversibly
destroyed.
Also, to the extent that reductions haveoccurred, they are rarely if ever explained ashaving been undertaken to comply with any treaty
commitment. Reductions are surely welcome, but
cuts only in deployments do not necessarily equate
to progress in disarmament – as seen, for example,
in the retirement of obsolete weapons to make way
for newer models, or the movement of
non-deployed warheads to reserve status.
We gladly acknowledge some limited progressin the right direction, that is, some actions that areconsistent with the goal of disarmament. Whilethese steps differ from one country to another,some or all nuclear weapon States have issued
declarations of reduced deployments, avoided
nuclear tests and shut down test sites, stopped
production of fissile material for weapons,declared adherence to a no-first-use nuclear
doctrine, reduced the level of readiness to launch

A few survived to tell their story and I pay myhumble respects to the hibakusha who are herewith us on this occasion. I admire their courageand determination that there should be no more
Hiroshimas and Nagasakis. We are here, together
with them, to say that we want a nuclear-weapon
free, peaceful and just world.
Last month I put my own signature on the
Hibakusha Appeal for the elimination of nuclear
weapons. I know that the average age of the
Hibakusha is now over 80 – and this is my age too.
In 1945 I was nine years old – old enough to learnof the tragedy, even if I lived half a world away. I
share the earnest desire of the Hibakusha toachieve a nuclear free world in their lifetime and in
my own lifetime too.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In February 2011, when I was the United
Nations High Representative for Disarmament
Affairs, I sent a message to you on the occasion of
the launching of a campaign in support of thenegotiation of a Convention to ban nuclear
weapons.
I closed that message with thefollowing words: “The will of the people canquite literally change history. A nuclear weapon
free world would be the best possible gift we could
pass along to future generations. It is not sufficientjust to pass them the responsibility of achieving
this goal. It is a cause worth of our best efforts
just now.”
What you are doing today is just that: you are
not shirking that responsibility. All of us who
participate in this Conference, young and not soyoung, are here to say to the leaders of the worldthat the voice of the people must be heard andmust be heeded.
The commitment of your organization to
nuclear disarmament is well-known by all whocare about the maintenance of peace and security
and about the future of our planet. Please—all ofyou— accept my deep appreciation for your efforts
and my commitment to work in partnership withyou as we move forward in our dedicated effort tohelp achieving a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Certainly this audience does not require any
further persuasion that nuclear disarmament is botha morally justified objective and the most practicaland effective way to ensure against the future useof nuclear weapons. The risk of use of such
weapons
derives
from
their
very
existence—whether we consider deliberate or
unauthorized use, use through miscalculations,detonations resulting from accidents, along withthreats of theft, terrorist attack, or sabotage, andother such dangers. The existence of nuclear
weapons is the greatest threat to peace and security
in the world.

10

nuclear weapons.
The world is at a juncture. One path leads toa future in which nuclear weapons are accepted as
harsh realities in an anarchic world—a world inwhich such weapons are legal for any State touse—and a world in which more States seek such
weapons as a vital and indispensable means of
ensuring their security.
The other path leads toward universal
recognition of nuclear weapons as an anathema—aunique type of weapon that cannot be used withoutegregious violations of the most fundamental
tenets of international humanitarian law and thelaws of war—a weapon that is completely uselessin addressing pressing security challenges intoday’s world, including dangers from terrorism,
civil wars, and enormously complex challenges of
ensuring human security.
As human beings, we prefer life over death.
We are capable of weighing risks and benefits—ofcomparing the security challenges in a world freeof nuclear weapons against those that would exist
in a world full of such weapons. We understandthat disarmament will require many things to bereliable and permanent, and that theserequirements should be as binding as humanly
possible, to increase confidence in theirsustainability.
Yet we are also experienced
enough not to allow long lists of conditions or
preconditions to serve as an excuse for neveractually achieving disarmament goals. True andlasting security will only be achieved when nuclear
weapons no longer exist anywhere on our planet.
So I will now conclude by urging you all topersist in your efforts on behalf of global nuclear
disarmament. Work among yourselves and withother groups outside the nuclear field and in othercountries. Cultivate allies in government who
share your convictions. Dedicate yourselves to
educating the public and to improving reporting by
the news media. Challenge the views of those that
rely on nuclear weapons for their own security.
The forthcoming Session of the General
Assembly could be a decisive watershed. We will
see then whether the mounting tide in support of aban on the use of nuclear weapons as a first step totheir complete prohibition can galvanize thecommunity of nations.
There really is no choice—as Senator Douglas
Roche of Canada has eloquently stated, “To be
fully human is to be anti-nuclear weapons.”
Thank you very much for all you are doing fordisarmament. We are all partners in a very goodcause.

(often called “de-alerting”), eliminated certain
types of delivery vehicles, and announced otheractions that the world has also welcomed. This iscommendable but it is not enough. The realquestion is to make sure that the progress achieved
is sufficient to alleviate persisting concerns sharedby many countries about intentions of thenuclear-weapon states to fulfil their disarmament
commitments.
The case for a prohibition of nuclear weapons
is self-evident, as the Secretary-General of theUnited Nations suggested in his 5-point proposal
in 2008. This can only be achieved through serious
negotiations. Last year the General Assembly
established an open-ended Working Group toaddress concrete effective legal measures, legal
provisions, and norms that will need to beconcluded to attain and maintain a world without
nuclear weapons. The OEWG has met from 22-26
February 2016 and 2-13 May 2016. The Chairshould present a draft report in a couple of days, on
August 5, and a third round of discussions willtake place on 16, 17, and 19 August 2016.
Unfortunately, nuclear-weapon States chose not toparticipate in these discussions. Some of their
allies who are participating, however, argue on
their behalf that nuclear disarmament is“premature” and that nuclear weapons are needed
to protect security. That would be a good argument
in favor of all-out proliferation – but of course thisview is obviously not shared by the majority of theinternational community.
127 states have signed the “Humanitarian
Pledge” proposed by Austria in 2015. Many ofthese States have been actively promoting thenegotiation of a Convention to ban nuclear
weapons. The Community of Latin American and
Caribbean States has submitted a proposal calling
for the start of “a multilateral diplomatic process forthe negotiation of a legally binding instrument forthe prohibition of nuclear weapons”. Many calls
have been made for the start of substantive
discussions on what a nuclear-weapon Convention
would have to contain. Some governments andnon-governmental organizations have joined
efforts to produce specific suggestions on what a
Convention would look like.
Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador,
Guatemala,Indonesia,
Malaysia,
Mexico,Philippines, and Zambia sponsored a proposal toconvene a negotiating conference in 2017 for alegally-binding instrument to prohibit nuclear
weapons. Austria, Jamaica, and others indicatedtheir endorsement of this recommendation. Five
Pacific island states—Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Samoa,
and Tuvalu—submitted a proposal setting out
possible elements to be included in a treaty banning

11

Messages from the Heads/Leaders of National
Governments and International Organizations
the risks associated with these terrible weapons
remain. While our understanding of theconsequences of nuclear weapons has grown, so
too has the shadow cast by continued
modernization and proliferation. Ireland remains
resolute in our commitment to a world free from
nuclear weapons, and will continue to pursue
proactive, collaborative and ethically grounded
actions to further this objective.
In 2015, Ireland was proud to co-sponsor a
United Nations Resolution establishing an
Open-Ended Working Group on taking forward
multilateral negotiations on nuclear disarmament.
At this forum in Geneva, Ireland has continuously
stressed the global need to renew, in a truly holistic
and integrated way, our international commitment
to a world without nuclear weapons. It is our hopethat these discussions will strengthen the resolve of
all nations to address the interconnected characterof the challenges we face in the 21st century;
challenges such as climate change, gender equality
and migration, all of which demand solutions thattranscend national borders.
The promise and obligations of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, which has beenchampioned by Ireland since its inception in 1958,
mean that it is incumbent on all states parties tolive up to their responsibilities, to ensure that thetreaty is fulfilled. The renewed focus on thecatastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear
weapons, aided by the work of this Conference,
and which Ireland has been proud to support, hasmade clearer than ever the devastation which
would arise from even one accidental nuclear
detonation. Indeed, the world’s capacity to respondto a nuclear detonation is hopelessly inadequate,
and the scale of the subsequent humanitariandisaster would be beyond the resources of allnations to alleviate.
I know that Hibakusha Ms Setsuko Thurlow
carries with her a scroll listing the names of all
three-hundred and fifty-one of her schoolmates andteachers who perished on the fateful day in
Hiroshima, from which she survived to become aliving testament. All of those lives, all that theymight have created and thought, and all the otherlives that they might have touched, are important.
This year, in Ireland, we have beencommemorating those lives lost, on all sides, at theMichel Temer
Vice-President, acting as the President
Federative Republic of Brazil
It is an honor to address the 2016 World
Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs.
This initiative sends an important alert message
to all peoples of the world about the dangers of themerely existence of atomic and hydrogen bombs,
while it recounts the horror of the nuclear attacks
in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Brazil is engaged in the disarmament agenda
with the authority of a country whose own
Constitution enshrines the exclusively peaceful use
of nuclear energy.
There are still thousands of nuclear weapons in
the world. Arsenal reductions are slow andinsufficient. At the same time, wide programs of
nuclear armaments' modernization are in progress.
This situation reveals the resistance of
nuclear-armed countries in fulfilling their
obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty(NPT).
For Brazil, the only guarantee against the useor threat of use of nuclear weapons is the totalelimination of arsenals. We defend, in the United
Nations, the adoption of a nuclear armaments
prohibition treaty that establishes parameters to thefurther elimination of all existing arsenals, in atransparent and verifiable way and under effective
international control. We are certain that, in thisendeavor, we will continue to count with theengagementofimportantcivilsocietyorganizations, like Gensuikyo.
Together, we will continue walking the path
towards a world free of mass destruction weapons.

Michael D. Higgins
President, Republic of Ireland
It is an honour and a privilege to once again
add Ireland’s support to the significant efforts of
the Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen
Bombs.
The scale of death and destruction wrought by
nuclear weapons on the cities of Hiroshima andNagasaki was utterly devastating. 71 years later,

12

birth of our Republic 100 years ago in 1916. Alllives lost in war are a tragedy, for someone and, byextension, for all of us. We are one global
community and, never more so than now, we are
all connected and we all share the same common
desire for peace.
Our collective efforts to secure the fate ofhumanity are owed, not just to future generations,but out of respect to previous generations, whose
courage, creativity and intellect developed thecivilization we enjoy today and must strive toprotect. The victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
deserve continued commemoration and respect.
The victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki deserve
continued commemoration and respect. Let us thenensure that their memory inspires us to persist in
this most fundamental human challenge: to strive
for the promise of non-proliferation, to realise thegoal of nuclear disarmament, and to achieve aworld free from nuclear weapons.

Enrique Peña Nieto
President, The United Mexican States
On the occasion of the 71st anniversary of theatomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
Mexico reiterates its firm rejection of the existenceof nuclear weapons, for their serious humanitarianconsequences.
My country will not stop until the prohibition
and total elimination of nuclear weapons isachieved, in order to make our planet a safe world
free of this threat.
By making wishes for the success of thisimportant meeting, I reiterate the support of mygovernment.

TRẦN ĐẠI QUANG
President, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
On behalf of the State leaders of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people,
and in my own name, I would like to extend mywarmest greetings and best wishes to allparticipants in the 2016 World Conference against
A & H Bombs.
First of all, allow me to express my sympathy
with all losses and sufferings of the victims of
atomic and other weapons of mass destruction.
With Japan in particular, the Vietnamese people
share profound feelings over the heavy aftermathof atomic bombs, as we ourselves are still sufferingfrom lingering consequences of Agent Orange onhuman beings and the environment. I would also
like to extend my sincere thanks to peace forces
and organizations in Japan and across the world fortheir valuable sympathy and support reserved for
the Vietnamese people during our past struggles
for national independence and reunification as wellas our present efforts in national construction anddefense.
Seventy one years after the Hiroshima andNagasaki massacres, we cannot help being deeply
concerned over researches undertaken by certain
nations for the development of such weapons ofmass destruction. This move is really threatening
the very existence of the human kind and world
peace.
In such a context, we welcome the persistentefforts of the Japan Council against Atomic andHydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) in organizing
annually since 1955 World Conferences against A& H Bombs. We highly appreciate Gensuikyo’s
initiative in launching annually global signaturecollecting campaigns against atomic weapons. I am
also glad to note that the Vietnam Peace
Committee and Vietnamese people’s organizations

Bounnhang Vorachith
President, Lao People’s Democratic
Republic
On behalf of the Government and people of the
Lao PDR, I would like to convey my heartfelt
congratulations to the organizing committee anddelegations of the 2016 World Conference against
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, which will be heldon 2-9 August 2016 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki ofJapan.
The 70th Anniversary of the Atomic bombingof Hiroshima and Nagasaki held in Japan 2015 hasraised more awareness to the world community on
nuclear utilization, which seriously causes
humanitarian impact and assert loss. I very muchhope that the 2016 World Conference will play asignificant role in mobilizing the solidarity of allpeace-loving people against the production and thepossession of weapons of mass destruction.
I believe that the unwavering efforts of thepeople of Japan and the peace-loving worldcommunity as well as the solidarity will help tocontinuously suppress the use of atomic andhydrogen bombs in order to build the world ofpeace and stability free from weapons of mass
destruction in the future.
Once again, on behalf of the Government andpeople of the Lao PDR, I wish the 2016 World
Conference against atomic and Hydrogen Bombs
great success.

13

a nightmare scenario.Although nuclear weapons
have not been used in armed conflict for more than
70 years, the dangers they pose remain a current
reality. Prominent security and military experts
have warned that the risk of nuclear weapon use
through accidents, conflict escalation or by intent
has increased in recent years. Nuclear weapons areoften presented as promoting security, particularly
during times of international instability. But
weapons that risk catastrophic and irreversible
humanitarian consequences cannot seriously beviewed as protecting civilians or humanity as awhole.
As a humanitarian organization and as one thatworks to ensure the faithful application ofinternational humanitarian law (IHL), the ICRC
takes every opportunity to remind States of thehorrific consequences and IHL implications of
nuclear weapons. We equally urge them to ensurethat such weapons are never again used and to
begin negotiations to prohibit the use of andeliminate nuclear weapons, in accordance with
their existing obligations.
The horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki holdpowerful lessons that must never be forgotten. And
although progress in prohibiting and eliminating
nuclear weapons remains slow, the ICRC is driven
by the experiences of these two cities to continue
its efforts until these goals are achieved. In this weare pleased to work alongside the hibakusha andorganizations like the Japan Council against
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo).
On behalf of the International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC), I would like to commend
the hibakusha for their tireless efforts and for theJapan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen
Bombs (Gensuikyo) for its support to the victimsof the atomic bombings and its work to help
advance the elimination of nuclear weapons.

have actively participated in these meaningful
campaigns.
I am confident that the 2016 World Conference
against A & H Bombs will offer an opportunity forpeace forces and organizations of different
countries to broaden their ranks and initiate newactivities against nuclear weapons and all actions
threatening peace, security and the people’s
peaceful life. I also believe that the Conference
will reaffirm its solidarity with and support for all
victims of A & H bombs, Agent Orange and otherwar crimes, for a future without any threat ofnuclear weapons, for a world of peace, security,
stability and prosperity.
May the Conference be a great success!

Peter Maurer
President, International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC)
Amid today’s increasingly fraught international
climate, the alarming reality of nuclear weapons
cannot be ignored.
I was in Japan last year and met hibakusha,
whose lives were permanently shaped by theatomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
1945. Their experience, and those who have been
affected by nuclear testing, are the living legacy of
nuclear weapons. They are the reality of what theseweapons do in human terms. Today, we knowmuch more about the potential impact that nuclear
weapons would have if they were ever used again.
The consequences would be catastrophic withimmediate and long-term implications for thehealth of current and future generations, theenvironment, global food production and economic
and social development. We also know that there
can be no adequate humanitarian response to such

14

Plenary Session I:
Damage and Suffering from A-Bombs in Hiroshima & Nagasaki; Inhuman
Nature of Nuclear Weapons; Struggle of the Hibakusha(August 2)
That morning, I was downstairs in a wooden
house 4 kilometers from the hypocenter with myaunt and four other family members. At 8:15 a.m.
we saw a flash. We rushed to the air-raid shelter.
But I failed to escape and, along with the tatami
mats, was blown off my feet by the blast. When I
landed, I found myself still standing, but beneaththe floor.
I rushed out to find my housecompletely destroyed, but without any signs of abomb. Looking up at the sky in the north, I saw afireball growing larger and rising. It soon became
dark outside, making me wonder what had
happened.
As time passed by, men and women with burnt
skin hanging down came toward us. Their faces
were swollen and they were without clothing.
The shrine in our house became a temporary
first-aid station.
In order to prevent people from dying in thebuilding of the shrine and thus defiling the sacredplace, people with serious injuries were moved to akindergarten next-door. Only people who wererelatively lightly injured were allowed to stay inthe shrine. But the next morning, people who had
been believed to be without injury were found
dead.
Wounded people wanted water, but we knewthat people with burns would die if they drink
water. Without medicine to treat them, we had nomeans of helping them.
From August 7, I was tasked with keeping
watch over the fire for cremation. At that time noone had knowledge of radiation. It was muchlater that we learned that people exposed to strong
radiation would die or suffer from various healthproblems.
My school reopened in September and I went
to school for the first time since the atomic
bombing. In the second-year class, there were
only two students besides me. Since we had beentaught in militarism-led education that the greatest
honor is to die for the country, I felt ashamed ofhaving survived.
On October 30, a memorial service for the dead
was held in the damaged school auditorium. The
mother of a dead friend of mine said to me,“Honest students are dead and loafers havesurvived. I hate to see your faces.” I thought I

Introductory Reports:
Yano Miyako
Hibakusha of Hiroshima
I was born in 1931 in the southern Hiroshima
town of Ujina, as the youngest of four girls. That
year Japan engineered the Manchurian incident as
an excuse to invade northeastern China. That was
the start of Japan’s 15-year war of aggression in
China.
Military facilities were being built in areas that
had mostly been farms or vacant land. Many
soldiers and war-horses were sent to the continentof China and to the southern fronts from the local
military port of Ujina. Not a day went by that I
did not see soldiers in the town, which was used asa logistics base. Roaring tanks would crawl
through the streets to the port late at night. I grewup as a devoted militarist daughter.
In 1944, I entered Hiroshima City Daiichi Girls’High School. Equipped with an anti-air raid hoodand a first-aid bag, the students would carry ashovel or a hoe as well as a few study materials.
Senior students were sent to a munitions
factory. Third-year students were assigned to sew
shirts and underpants in a classroom which was
turned into a military factory. Other people were
not allowed to get close to the classroom on the
grounds that military secrets could be leaked.
English classes were eliminated since it was
regarded as the language of the enemy. We
students were mostly engaged in cultivating vacantland or digging holes in the school yard to make anair-raid shelter. We were told that there would be
no classes in principle for a year from April 1945.
We worked at factories or on farms.
Many students were mobilized from various
schools to help dismantle houses to create
firebreaks.
In my school, first- and second-year students
were ordered to help in the demolition of houses
from August 5 in what is now Peace Park. The
following day, all 542 students and their 7 teachers
were killed while working there.
I survived because I was on leave of absence
due to a stomachache.
15

fatigue or the so-called “bura-bura disease” I
experienced for one year after graduating fromhigh school may have been a radiation disordercaused by internal exposure to radiation.
I was convinced that I had suffered frompossible damage caused by internal and low-doseradiation exposure when I took part in concerted
Hibakusha lawsuits demanding that the national
government recognize our illnesses as caused byexposure to atomic bomb radiation.
I never forget how happy I was when we had
the new Constitution of Japan declaring therenunciation of war forever.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo continues tobelieve in the doctrine of nuclear deterrence while
talking about the need to get nuclear weaponsabolished.
I would like to help spread the internationalsignature campaign for the abolition of nuclear
weapons and see a world without such weapons
while Hibakusha are still alive.

should not have survived. I tried to die by
throwing myself into a river, but I did not have thecourage to do so.
In 1948, I began to feel fatigued and sluggish,
and frequently fell down due to anemia. The
doctor said nothing abnormal was detected in me,
although he recognized symptoms of anemia andleukopenia. I thought the doctor was right, butwhen purple spots appeared on my skin, I began tosuspect that they must have been caused byexposure to atomic bomb radiation.
During the year following graduation fromhigh school, I was in low spirits. My mother said
I was a lazy girl. I was in bed all the time in adark room.
I gave birth to my first son at the age of 26.
He suffered from severe anemia since babyhood,and I worried that he might have got the illness
from me. But, reluctant to hear, see, or read
anything about the atomic bomb, I withdrew intomyself.
One day, I was invited by a friend of mine toattend a women’s gathering. A thin booklet that I
saw at the meeting changed my life. It containednotes by a woman survivor, who was two years
older than I. She wrote about her younger sister:“That morning she was cheerful when she left
home but later was found dead. She was crushed todeath under a fallen wall of a temple blown downby the blast. People were burnt like fallen
leaves.”
The woman concluded her story by saying:“Who started this war? Who is seeking to start
war again in spite of the tragic experience? Now
is the time to take a hard look at this issue so that
we can think about it without being misled. With
this, I would like to convey to everyone my wish
for peace.”
Reading this, I thought I may have met thesame fate as her younger sister if the atomic bomb
had been dropped on the 5th, instead of the 6th, ofAugust. I asked myself what I had been doing for
19 years. I was ashamed of my ignorance and myattitude of not trying to learn anything.
That was how I began interviewing Hibakusha.
I had been thinking that I was not a Hibakusha
because my doctor had told me that atomic bombradiation effects are only seen within 2 kilometersfrom the hypocenter and that people who were inareas 4 kilometers from the hypocenter were notaffected. Listening to Hibakusha’s stories, I
realized that their lingering health problems are
similar to those of me and my family members.
Sixty years after the atomic bombing ofHiroshima, I read a book entitled “Dangerous
Effects of Internal Radiation Exposure” written by
Dr. Hida Shuntaro. I came to suspect that the

Koo Jung Sung
Vice President, Korean Atomic Bomb
Casualty Association
Republic of Korea
Thank you for inviting me to the World
Conference.
Allow me first to express my sincere hope that
the World Conference against A & H Bombs willdevelop even further to help achieve a world
without nuclear weapons ensuring that ourdescendants can live in peace without anxieties.
My name is Koo Jung Sung. I am vicepresident of the Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty
Association.
In South Korea there are about 2,500 atomic
bomb survivors. Following the atomic bombingof Hiroshima, the Japanese Home Ministry’s police
affairs bureau said the number of Koreans killed
there ranged from 40,000 to 50,000. It is said thatsome 15,000 Koreans were killed in Nagasaki.
But these are only estimated figures because
neither Japan nor Korea has ever conducted an
official survey. So, we have no choice but todepend on estimation. This is a reality. It isvery disappointing and frustrating. The numberof Korean survivors is said to be almost the sameas that of Koreans who died in the two explosions.
Of these Korean survivors, about 70,000 decided
to stay in Japan and about 45,000 chose to go backto their home country. However, what awaitedthem in Korea were poverty and suffering fromaftereffects of exposure to A-bomb radiation.
More than half of them died within five years. At
16

I think the loss of loved ones is the most tragic
thing the nuclear weapon left to me.
Because of the tragedy caused by the atomic
bombing, my brother and I are the only survivingfamily members. Whenever I wish I could see
my dead parents and brothers, I always blame
nuclear weapons and hate nuclear powers.
Nevertheless, time goes by like a stream.
This is the 71st year since the A-bombings. Yet,
we Hibakusha are forced to endure the pain causedby the aftereffects of exposure to atomic bombradiation. We must understand that nuclear
weapons bring about miserable consequences andthat we are called upon to maintain the historicalview that no more tragedies of nuclear war must beallowed to happen. I hope all people in the world
will share this sense.
The thing that worries me a lot is the existenceof countries that cling to nuclear weapons or seek
to develop such arms. To help achieve a
nuclear-free world, I will devote the rest of my life
to the cause of a world free of nuclear weapons.

present there are only 2,500 people surviving. It
is a matter of deep regret and unbearable pain. It
is said that the magnitude of damage to Japanesepeople is ten times that for Koreans. We aresimply appalled by the horrible consequence of theuse of nuclear weapons.
I would like to say something about what myfamily and I experienced in the aftermath of theatomic bombing. I am 73 years old, relatively
young compared to most of the other Korean
Hibakusha. The atomic bomb was dropped when
I was only two years old. Actually, I have no real
memory of the bombing. As I grew older, I heard
horrible stories of the atomic bombing from myparents, relatives in Japan, an uncle in a village,
and my brothers. I learned that the atomic bombis a dreadful weapon capable of killing tens of
millions of people in an instant.
My father was a cargo handling worker at
Hiroshima Station. My mother worked hard to
support the family’s well-being. I was one offour sons. My family was a poor but ordinary
family living in harmony. My older brother was asecond grader at Onaga Elementary School, but I
hear that he could not study at all due to frequent
air raids. Then came the day: August 6, 1945. It
was in the morning. The sound of a huge
explosion was immediately followed by a blast
destroying our wooden house.
We foundourselves in hell. Fortunately, thanks to myparents’ quick action and our neighbors’ help, all
our family members survived. But my older
brother was wounded and has carried a leg injury
all his life. My heart aches when I think of mybrother’s suffering. He is now living out his old
age in the Hapcheon Welfare Center for Atomic
Bomb Victims. My heart aches when I think of
his lonely life.
In the wake of the bombing, my family moved
to Funairi in order to return to my parents’
hometown in Korea. My parents once told me
what they had witnessed on the way. I neverrecall their story without a shudder. In Funairi,
my parents obtained a temporary house to live andgave their injured son medical treatment. It wasaround that time that the chance came. They
successfully boarded a smuggler boat and left
Funairi for Korea. They managed to reach theirhometown via Busan. However, their poverty did
not change much even there. The only change
they had was the birth of a son and a daughter.
My father died in 1982 after a long battle withliver cancer amid poverty. My mother died ofstomach cancer in 1995. My younger brotherdied in 2012 of larynx cancer. Two years later,
my younger sister died of stomach cancer.
This is a sad history of an unfortunate family.

Nakagawa Shigenori
Lawyer/ National Counsel for No More
Hibakushas Lawsuit
Inhuman Nature of Nuclear Weapons andJapanese and U.S. Governments
1. Introduction
In August 1945, the United States dropped
atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan
carried on a war of aggression despite its isolationfrom the international community. This became thecause of the first nuclear attack in human history,
which opened the door to the nuclear age.
Once they are used, nuclear weapons bringabout catastrophic humanitarian consequences.
This is why any use of nuclear weapon isconsideredaviolationofinternational
humanitarian law, which stays the hands of nuclear
possessing countries and of those that rely on such
weapons.
The increasing number of voices
calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons has
become a major trend in the international
community.
On the other hand, in 2003 Hibakusha or
survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki
bombings began filing collective lawsuits against
the state for the recognition of their diseases ascaused by exposure to atomic bomb radiation.
In court, Hibakusha exposed the realities of thedamage and aftereffects of the atomic bombings.
In this statement I will give you their arguments to
explain the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and17arm that he may have carried with him as heentered an air-raid shelter. I saw nothing but
horrors everywhere. So I kept walking
feeling as if I were in a nightmare”.
It is said that 27% of people who died on the
day of the bombing were teenagers. This is partly
because a large number of school children were
mobilized in Hiroshima to demolish buildings andhouses to make fire lanes.
There are also many people who went missing
after losing contact with their families and whose
deaths have still not been confirmed.
Iwasa Mikiso, who was in the Fujimicho area
in Hiroshima on that day, was thrown to theground after he had felt the flash. When heregained consciousness, he found his housecrushed flat and his mother trapped under it. He
tried to rescue her by removing the fallen mud wallwith his hands, but the fire was getting closer andhis mother told him to run away. Iwasa did as hewas told leaving behind his mother reciting theBuddhist Wisdom Sutra.
In court, he testified: “My mother did not die
as a human being. She was burned like an object
and killed by the bomb. A 16-year-old boy on his
own had to incinerate the body of his motherwhom he had left behind. Can you imagine how I
felt then?” In 2004, Iwasa saw Hiroshima after
the destruction in a dream. He said he cried,“This time around, I will save my mother at any
cost”. An estimated 100,000 people in Hiroshima
and Nagasaki were burned alive and died like
Iwasa’s mother.
People who could escape death had to walkaround for a safe place like ghosts as their clothes
were burned, their skin peeling off and hanging
from their bodies. Those who become unable towalk fell down and died there. Many of those
who successfully reached a first-aid shelter also
died later without giving their names and withoutleaving any clue for their families to know how
they died.
Among the people who had survived that day
died one after another during the following weeks
and months, first due to severe burns and laterfrom radiation disorders.
By the end of 1945, about 140,000 people diedin Hiroshima and about 70,000 in Nagasaki due tothe atomic bombings. (In addition to thesefigures, there were tens of thousands of people
from the Korean Peninsula, who had settled inJapan or been drafted to work here).

that of the Japanese and US governments whichcling to such weapons.
2. Detonation of atomic bomb
Let us look at the actual use of atomic bombs
to annihilate Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An NHK
TV special program entitled “Ten Second Impactof the Atomic Bombing” was aired in 1998.
Chain reactions of nuclear fission began at 600
or 500 meters above ground and generated plasma(a high energy state of matter where electrons are
separated from nuclei) of a million degrees
centigrade and an atmospheric pressure of several
million hectopascals, forming a giant fireball that
could easily be described as an artificial sun. It
had a radius of up to 300 meters. Its surface
temperate reached 7000 degrees centigrade (thesurface temperature of the sun is about 6000
degrees centigrade). Heat rays burned deep into
people’s skin, peeling it off, and set fire to all
objects on the ground.
The bulging fireball created a wall of air orshock waves that moved faster than the speed ofsound. It then caused a blast that instantly
leveled down or leveled buildings and otherobjects. Humans were also blown down andthrown down against the ground. Their eyeballs
popped out of their eye-sockets and their intestines
came out of their bellies. All this happened in lessthan 10 seconds after the bomb detonation.
Then people were exposed to radiation. The
fission of Uranium-235 takes only a hundred
millionth of second. In a millionth of second,over 80 generations of nuclear fission chain
reactions occurred, releasing massive amounts ofneutrons that irradiated people. They also turned
the substances in the air and on the ground into
radioactive materials.
The mushroom cloud contained various
substances, including nuclear fission substances,
radioactive substances created by neutron collisionand many other radioactive substances in massive
amounts including uranium and plutonium gasesthat did not disintegrate. First being carried into
the sky, they then showered down on people underthe mushroom cloud in the form of black rain orsoot of radioactive particles.
3. Hell
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki swarmed
everywhere with dead bodies.
Here is thetestimony of a Hibakusha of Nagasaki who, on the
day following the atomic bombing, went into thecity searching for his uncle:“I saw innumerable bodies: dead horses withswollen bellies, human bodies burned black, aman dead face up with a bed quilt around his

4. Atomic bomb continued to cause people tosuffer even after war(1) Hardships of life due to atomic bombing
Watanabe Aiko (Ms.), one of the plaintiffs of18

Hibakusha said, “I have faced discrimination in
marriage and looking for a job. In addition, theparents of my daughter’s fiancé said they would
not agree to their son’s marriage with a
Hibakusha’s child”. Another one confessed, “Icannot tell even my own sister that our motherhappened to be at Kamiyacho when the bomb felland died there because she was on the way backhome from where she had gone to get medicine forme as I was sick in bed”. Another Hibakusha
spoke about his moral suffering for not being able
to tell his own wife for 60 years until he testified incourt about the pain he still feels in his heart when
he thinks of the moment he turned his back on avoice begging him to help save a child as he waswalking through Hiroshima covered with ruins andcorpses.

the collective lawsuit mentioned above, was 9months-pregnant and in the Inasa district ofNagasaki, 2.2 km from ground zero. Her house
was seriously damaged and her husband andfather-in-law died. Unable to rely on her own
parents, she delivered her baby at a cheap lodging
house and moved from place to place looking forjobs: she ran an open-air bar stall in Tokyo’s
Ikebukuro and rented a narrow 2-tatami-room in ashared house where she lived with her child. She
was at the same time suffering from many different
diseases including myoma of the uterus (alsoknown as a fibroid tumor), chronic hepatic
cirrhosis, anemia, thyroid deficiency, etc. In thelawsuit, judges questioned her at the bedside as she
was unable to appear in court.
(2) Poor health: A-bomb burabura disease
Many Hibakusha began suffering from avariety of physical conditions whose cause was
unknown and people began to call that particularcondition specific to Hibakusha “a-bomb asburabura disease”. Hibakusha with the disease
were frustrated. One Hibakusha said, “I wanted
to find a job and work but my poor healthcondition did not allow me to do so. People
criticized me for being ‘lazy’. Who should beheld accountable for the deterioration of my healthcondition?” Their families were also tormented inmany ways.
(3) Hardships experienced by children
Kosugi Masanori, another plaintiff, was 11
years old and a Fukuromachi elementary school
student at the time of the atomic bombing, but hehad already been evacuated to Uesugi Village.
His mother, his 3-year-old brother and his
grandparents lived in his house in Hiroshima. On
August 11, he went with his uncle where his house
had been, about 500m from the hypocenter, butwhat he saw was a wide stretch of burned ruins.
He and his uncle took turns to dig the groundwhere they believed his house had stood. They
spent two days for digging but found no body.
After the war’s end, many of his classmates went
back to Hiroshima with their parents. Kosugi
waited for his parents to come and take him backto Hiroshima, but they did not show up. The
following year, he learned that his father, who had
been sent on an expedition to New Guinea, wasalready dead. He moved from one relative’shouse to another but he was not welcome
anywhere. In 1954, he went to Tokyo and has
struggled hard to survive ever since.
(4) Discrimination, mental scars
One Hibakusha testified, “Seeing in the newschool that other Hibakusha children were
harassed or bullied by classmates, I decided not totell them that I am a Hibakusha”. Another

5. Systematic U.S. cover-up of A-bomb damage
Damage caused by atomic bombings wasbrought to the knowledge of the world by foreign
reporters such as Leslie Nakashima and Wilfred
Burchett, who were among the first ones to enter
the A-bomb devastated Japanese cities.
Burchett’s article, which appeared in the
September 5 issue of the British “Daily Express”
starts with “I write this as a warning to the world.”
He said that “in Hiroshima 30 days after, people
continue to die. Those who were intact are dying
from some unknown causes”.
Nevertheless, the U.S. totally covered up theactual damage.
During the month that followed the atomic
bombing, the U.S. army sent a survey team toinvestigate the effects of the bombings. Deputy
Commanding General Thomas F. Farrell, one of
the responsible members of the Manhattan Project
and who came to Japan as a member of that team,
told foreign correspondents at a meeting in theImperial Hotel on September 6 that there was noevidence of continuing radioactivity in the blasted
area. He said, “In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, here at
the beginning of September, anyone liable to die
has already died and no one is suffering fromatomic radiation.”
In addition, the Civil Censorship Detachment
under the GHQ/SCAP on September 10 began
implementing prior censorship of radio programs
and post-fact censorship of newspapers that soon
spread throughout most regions of Japan. On
September 18, the Asahi Shimbun was punishedwith 3 days of suspension of publication for having
issued an article about Hatoyama Ichirocondemning the atomic bombings as a “violationof international law and a war crime”. This had achilling effect on the media.
On September 19, the so-called press code on

19

newspapers, officially named as “SCAPIN-33:
Press Code for Japan,” was issued. It provided that
“Nothing shall be printed which might, directly or
by inference,” would make “destructive criticism
of the Allied Powers” or “might invite mistrust or
resentment of those troops.” It was followed byanother notice that extended the application of thepress code to all other publications.
“The City of Corpses” written by Ota Yoko,
which was ordered to delete some parts, was notallowed to be published in full until 1948.
Professor Tsuzuki Masao of Tokyo Imperial
University, based on the findings of his survey inHiroshima, found out by observing the symptoms
presented by Hibakusha that the A-bomb damage
was not only caused by heat rays, the blast andradiation but also by radioactive gases. In
November of 1945, he produced 30 copies of abooklet with that information and distributed themto well-known doctors in different regions. It was
the first time that the difference between residual
radiation and direct A-bomb radiation was found intheir respective effects on human body. The
occupation forces however banned in lateNovember any research on the atomic bombs,
including medical research and publications. They
also ordered Prof. Tsuzuki to collect all copies hehad distributed and translate the booklet into
English for foreign distribution after removing theterm “radioactive poisonous gases”.
Tsuzukirefused to do so and did not accept any attempt of
persuasion. He was eventually expelled from theuniversity. The results of research Tsuzuki andother Japanese scientists conducted were allconfiscated and taken to the U.S. by the American
survey team in late December.
As for images and films, shooting by the movie
team led by the producer Kano Ryuichi was
initially banned, but the U.S. forces later decided
to use footage shot by that team for their own
survey team on strategic bombing. The survey
team is said to have confiscated all the films
footage by Kano’s team, even negative fragments.
Concerning the rescue operations by the Swissdoctor Marcel Junot, who was the Representativeof the Red Cross International Committee in Japan,
the occupation forces in September sent him somemedicines but refused to provide further assistance.
In 1948, the ABCC (Atomic Bomb Casualties
Commission) was established in Hiroshima andNagasaki, but as you probably know, that
institution was criticized by Hibakusha because
while it did conduct a survey, it did not provide
any care to them.

6. Lawsuit and decision over the illegality ofatomic bombing and nuclear weapons in light ofinternational law(1) Shimoda Case ruling
There was a lawsuit that questioned the legal
responsibility of the U.S. government for A-bombdamage. It is called Shimoda Case, filed by
Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki against theJapanese government.
The plaintiffs claimed that dropping the atomic
bomb was an act contrary to international law andthe U.S. government should have been held
responsible for compensation, but as the Japanese
government by signing the San Francisco Peace
Treaty had renounced the right to make a claim,
they therefore decided that it was the Japanese
government
thatwasresponsibleforcompensation.
The Tokyo District Court on December 7, 1963
handed down a landmark ruling stating thatdropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima andNagasaki constituted a violation of both wartime
international law and International humanitarianlaw.
In the trial, the Japanese government claimed
that the use of atomic bombs was not prohibited byinternational law because there was neither aninternational customary law nor international treaty
that prohibited the use of atomic bombs. The
Tokyo District Court ruling, insisting that even in
the absence of an international legal instrumentthat explicitly prohibits the use of atomic bombs,
said it must be considered as prohibited byinternational law as by interpreting or inferring
existing international laws and regulations, theiruse can naturally be considered as prohibited.
The above-mentioned conclusion of the ruling wasderived from the following two arguments:(a) Military target argument
The ruling argues: “The international law ineffect at that time allowed the attack withatomic bombs only on military targets except
for cases in which a city is threatened to beoccupied.
However, given the power of
atomic bomb to inflict damage and destructionthat can destroy a medium-sized city
completely, even if the atomic attack is aimed
at a military target alone, it could be regarded
as illegal act of combat”.
(b) Ban on weapons that give unnecessary
suffering
The ruling, noting the existence ofinternational laws and regulations that prohibit
the use of poisons and toxic gases, states thatbesides poisons and poisonous gases that are
explicitly banned, any means to damage theenemy that gives suffering comparable or

20

ICJ advisory opinion has a positive significance forcountering such a claim.

greater than poisons or poisonous gases are
considered to be prohibited by internationallaws and regulations. Dropping the atomic
bombs constitutes a violation of the rule ofunnecessary suffering, because it took the livesof a large number of citizens and those who
escaped death 18 years after are still threatenedby the effects of A-bomb radiation, which is avery regrettable situation.
The Shimoda ruling is the judgment of aJapanese local tribunal. However, its significancemust not be underestimated. Arguments were
exchanged at a Japanese local court between
Hibakusha and the state over the illegality of theact of dropping the atomic bombs. In addition, it
concluded that the dropping of atomic bombs wasillegal in light of the positive law. Even more
important was the fact the tribunal squarely lookedat and adopted as the basis of its conclusion, thepower of atomic bombing to inflict damage anddevastation as well as the extreme gravity of thedamage and sufferings incurred. The ruling is a
precious legal precedent for us when we want to
use the legal framework for banning nuclear
weapons. Indeed, it is our common treasure. (2) Advisory opinion of the International Court ofJustice
On July 8, 1996, the International Court ofJustice (ICJ) gave its conclusion on whether theuse and threat of use of nuclear weapons wereagainst international law.
The ICJ decision in its principal text (para. 2E)
states that the use and threat of use of nuclear
weapons generally contradicts the rules ofinternational law applied to armed conflicts,
especially the principles and rules of international
humanitarian law. It continues, however, that“considering the current state of international law
and the facts verified by the Court, the Courtcannot make a definitive conclusion whether theuse and threat of use of nuclear weapons are legal
or illegal in an extreme circumstance ofself-defense where the survival of a state is atstake”.
This decision was adopted by a close vote of 8against 7. It leaves something to be desired inthat it fails to affirm that the use of nuclear
weapons is illegal in any circumstances.
However, there is no doubt that the atomic
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not donein an extreme circumstance of self-defense. The
Japanese government pursues its reliance policy on
the U.S. nuclear umbrella, claiming that “the use
and threat of use of nuclear weapons are contrary
to the humanitarian spirit that underlies theinternational humanitarian law but they do notconstitute a violation of international law”. The

7. Japanese government’s response to concerted
A-bomb lawsuit -- From A-bomb disease
victims’ collective lawsuits to the new “No More
Hibakushas Lawsuit”(1) Why did the Hibakusha take legal action?
There is a law that sets in place a mechanismthat accords the Hibakusha who are recognized as
A-bomb survivors by the Minister of Health andare given “Hibakusha Health Book” which
provides some entitlements, such as free healthcare and some special allowances when they fall ill.
To be recognized as an A-Bomb Disease Patientand qualify for this entitlement (i) a Hibakusha
must prove that his or her illness or injury is due toexposure to A-bomb radiation or his/her healing
capacity was affected by radiation (causality ofradiation); (ii) the Hibakusha’s disease or injury
must require medical treatment (need for medical
treatment).
The state applies an extremely
narrow interpretation to the requirement ofradiation causality and has systematically turned
down the application for the “Hibakusha Health
Handbook” from those who were beyond 500
meters or 1km from the hypocenter.
In addition, the state excluded from the list of
diseases attributable to radiation, cancers thatdeveloped in certain regions claiming that their“causality relation with radiation has not been
medically confirmed”. It also excluded from thatlist all non-cancer diseases such as impaired liverfunction or myocardial infarction.
As a result, as of March 2003, while there were279,714 Hibakusha Health Handbook holders, only
2,172 of them, accounting less than 1 percent, wererecognized as A-bomb Disease Patients.
Before that, those Hibakusha who could not
accept this had filed lawsuits individually against
the state and won some successes. In April 2003,
Hibakusha in different cities around the country
decided to sue the state collectively andsimultaneously to make their case known to thewider public.
(2) State’s arguments in court
What awaited aging Hibakusha plaintiffs was
the merciless attitude of the state that denied the
A-bomb damage in the name of “scientificknowledge”.
The criteria of recognition adopted by the state
consisted of evaluating the radiation dose each
Hibakusha was exposed to and use it to determine
the probability of causation of the disease inquestion, i.e. the possibility that the disease iscaused by radiation exposure. The probabilities
were calculated by simulation on the basis of21

They also showed that statistically significant
differences in the incidence of various
non-cancer diseases were found in low-level
exposure zones. They medically elucidated
the fact that A-bomb radiation continues toaffect the human body in various ways evenseveral decades later.
What was disputed in the trial was thecontribution of residual radiation. Hibakusha had
to convince the court of the existence of residual
radiation and its effect. What eventually convinced
the judges was, in addition to scientific evidences,
the testimonies given by the Hibakusha.
Saito Yasuko who took her case to a court in2003 with other Hibakusha, had seen her condition
deteriorate and appeared in the court in awheelchair on the last day of the trial. She was 4
years old at the time of the atomic bombing andnarrowly escaped direct damage as she was in a
relative’s house outside Hiroshima. On August
11, she went with her mother to the place where
their house had been, located at 1.4 km fromground zero. She was affected by radiation while
she stayed there until August 16, digging ground or
drinking water. The district court took these facts
seriously and recognized that Yasuko wasirradiated significantly, but the State appealed. In
the appeal, the defendant insisted that Yasuko’s
entry into Hiroshima was in mid-September,according to the ABCC record, attempting to throw
into question the reliability of her claim. Yasuko
killed herself earlier in February 2007, shortly
before the district court ruling, leaving a brief noteto her mother, “Sorry to leave you behind”. Her
96-year-old mother, Tomoya Iku, was the only
person who could testify at the high court. Iku
told the court that Yasuko and other children had
helped her to dig out valuables and food from theground where their house had used to stand. She
also explained that they had gone as far as
Hacchobori to look for their relatives, and sincethen, her daughters had been repeatedly sufferingfrom high fever and diarrhea. She stated that she
regretted a great deal for having taken them there.
She was very clear when accounting her story andanswering questions by the defendant’s lawyers.
(4) Review of the recognition criteria and signingof conclusion document
In 2006, after an intense battle before thetribunal, the Hibakusha plaintiffs won in Osakaand Hiroshima. They were followed by a numberof other district court rulings condemning theunfair recognition criteria imposed by the State.
The Hibakusha repeatedly carried out sit-ins infront of the Ministry of Health building. A
non-partisan group of members of parliament
supported them in exerting pressure on the state.

“DS86”, sets of data collected from nuclear tests.
“DS86” however only took into account theradiation released directly by the explosion andignored almost completely the contribution ofresidual radiation created by radioactive productsthat filled the air under the mushroom cloud.
In addition, the epidemiological survey
conducted by the Radiation Effects Research Fund
(RERF) had a structural defect of including those
who were exposed to massive amounts of radiationin the non-exposed group, which led tounderestimate the risk of diseases.
For example, the state claimed that “probabilityof causation” was 5 % for a plaintiff with cancer in
his left kidney although he was only at 1.8 km
from the hypocenter when the bomb fell and waslater showered with black rain while engaged in
rescue operations and removing corpses. The
state also argued that thyroid dysfunction andimpaired lever function were diseases whosecausality with radiation had not been identified.
(3) What the legal action has brought to light
Hibakusha depicted the realities of the atomic
bombing to explain the invasive, long-lasting andprofound effects of A-bomb radiation on humanbody and systematically put into question the“recognition criteria”.
(a) In addition to their own deposition andmany personal accounts, Hibakusha tried tosubmit as many facts as possible including“Collection of A-Bomb Damage Survey
Reports” and medical records compiled by Dr.
Jinpo Gensaku, to show that acute symptoms
were observed in the people exposed to thebomb within 2 km or 3 km from the groundzero as well as those who entered the city after
the bombing.
(b) Sawada Shoji demonstrated that the Atomic
Mushroom was almost 20 kilometer high andspread 20 km wide and its feet was filled withmassive radioactive particles (nuclear fission
products, irradiated A-bombing equipment,
non-disintegrated uranium and plutonium).
People who were under the Mushroom were
irradiated even if they were not showered withblack rain.
(c) In addition to Sawada, Ichikawa Sadao andYagasaki Katsuma proved that internalradiation exposure bears specific risks and that
contribution of low-dose radiation exposure
could not be neglected.
(d) The medical group worked jointly andsystematically to analyze the findings of studies
conducted by the RERF, finding that cancers,
regardless of the region of body where they
developed, correlated with radiation doses andwere thus not limited to high level exposure.

22

ground in a few cases, all the plaintiffs won
victories in a row in October 2015 and in June
2016 at the Tokyo District Court.

As a result, in April 2008, the state made public
new recognition criteria.
On August 6, 2009, a “Document ofconfirmation on the basic policy regarding thetermination of the collective lawsuits on A-Bomb
Disease Recognition” was signed between the thenPrime Minister Aso and Nihon Hidankyo.
Kawamura Takeo, Chief Cabinet Secretary, madepublic his statement saying that the government
took very seriously the fact that “the courts have
handed down 19 times severe rulings concerning
the A-bomb disease recognition criteria adopted by
the state” and that the “government offer anapology for that”. The document of confirmation
said that the solution would be sought throughregular consultations between the Minister of
Health, Labor and Welfare and Nihon Hidankyo to
improve the recognition mechanism, putting an
end to Hibakusha’s collective lawsuits.
(5) Health Ministry resistance and new “No More
Hibakushas Lawsuits”
Despite of this, the Ministry of Health andLabor later narrowed the application of the criteria
for recognition it developed itself in 2013, inparticular, non-cancer diseases such as myocardial
infarction.
Therefore, Hibakusha were again
forced to take their cases to district courts aroundthe country. A total of 119 plaintiffs filed
lawsuits in 7 district courts (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka,
Okayama, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Kumamoto).
These lawsuits are called “No More Hibakushas
Lawsuits” (cases are pending currently in 5 district
courts with 54 plaintiffs, 2 high courts with 14
plaintiffs and in the Supreme Court with 2
plaintiffs).
In these trials, the state seems to have forgotten
the conclusion document it signed and repeats thatradiation level was close to zero as one gets farther
from ground zero and the contribution of residual
radiation is valid only in very limited areas.
Especially since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
power plant accident, it has submitted to the courts
an opinion signed by 35 experts that is in line with
the Ministry’s intention. They also claim that theapplication for recognition must be rejected for any
circulatory disease whose cause may not beradiation but high blood pressure. They aretrying to change the courts’ position about therecognition criteria by any and all means.
The Hibakusha continue year by year to gather
scientific knowledge about the effects of radiation
exposure on human body and residual radiationand submit it to the courts. In addition, aged
Hibakusha, despite their poor health, attend thehearings as much as they can to make known thereal consequences of the atomic bombings.
As a result of these efforts, while we lost some

8. Conclusion
The attitude of the state, which does nothesitate to force aging Hibakusha to fight in court,
is unacceptable. The governments of Japan andthe U.S. hold the common intention to cover-up or
try to minimize the A-bomb damage. Because ofthis attitude, many Hibakusha have gone without
any assistance and been abandoned to their fate,
and they have been forced to struggle to bring thestate to justice. These are additional agony tothem who experienced catastrophic humanitarianconsequences of the use of nuclear weapons.
I am confident that the Hibakusha’s action to
make known to the world the real damage ofatomic bombings has contributed to preventing
nuclear war and influencing Japanese courts aswell as the International Court of Justice. With
the Hibakusha, let’s work together for a world freeof nuclear weapons.

Abacca Anjain Maddison
Former Senator/ Iju in Ean Club, Peopleof Rongelap
Marshall Islands“A Nuclear Weapons Free, Peaceful and Just
World”As I was thinking about what I wanted to say
this year at this very important conference, the faceof my father appeared in my mind very clearly. It
was the face I remember exactly how he looked soseriously as he pleaded to make me promise to
carry on the work he started. He said, “Abacca,
you MUST do it for the people we must keep theirstories alive”. Several weeks from that time, hepassed on from cancer diseases.
Twenty three years ago today, I am feelingblessed and so honored to carry on the legacy of
my father Jeton Anjain, the late senator who foughtfor the lives of the people of Rongelap especiallythe children and future generations to come, and at
the same time to make known to the world nuclear
bombs indiscriminately destroys humankind andour planet earth. This is the reason why we arehere today in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to keep the
spirit alive and to continue to spread the word ofpeace campaigning for abolition of nuclear
weapons even if the road is a blur and our minds
clouded with discouragements and we are weary.
My name is Abacca Anjain-Maddison, I
represent the women of Rongelap Atoll through23

dying of cancer throughout the Marshall Islands andnow, almost every day we hear about children
suffering from cancer. Nuclear weapons must beabolished, we must continue to push for peace
resolution and made awareness of what radiationfrom nuclear weapons does to human being and theenvironment.
Lately with best foot forward and little
resources the Marshallese people and Government
have done so much in fighting against injustices andmade aware worldwide of the problems the country
is facing today. At the community level more andmore non-government organizations are establishedspeaking about Marshall Island’s nuclear legacy inpublic and mass media, more schools are teaching
about nuclear impacts and so forth. The new RMI
Government administration under President Hilda
Heine committed to include nuclear issues agenda
as RMI appeared in front of the Human Rights
Court in Hague and endorsed the United National
Sustainable Development Goals and last week
called for consultations in Majuro to integrate andlocalize the SDGs into our National Strategic Plan
to address nuclear issues, climate change anderadicate poverty as top priorities of theGovernment.
In a public statement by Minister of Foreign
Affairs, John Silk in 2010, he said, "There is noquestion that the U.S. Government’s detonation of
sixty-seven atmospheric nuclear weapons in ourcountry created profound disruptions to humanhealth, the environment, as well as our economy,
culture, political system, and virtually every aspectof life".
I wish to extend an invitation to anyone to join
us next year for the Bikini Day commemoration on
March 1st, 2017 on Ebeye. This will be the firsttime if this is ever held there, so it’s important andmeaningful to have overseas participants.
Kwajalein islet is home of a military base called theRonald Reagan Ballistic Missiles installation. It has
the most sophisticated radar in the world and thelatest missiles are tested and launched periodicallyout of Vandenberg, California and intercepted in
Kwajalein lagoon. The pressing issue today aside
from the all the problems arising from living
outside the fence, our food security is threatened:
The fish are poisoned from PCB, lead and othertype of deadly materials as the report was madepublic late last year by the US Military Commander
on Kwajalein.
The IAEA is helping RMI
Government to make an assessment and advice on
remedies and response. However, it would be verymuch appreciated if we could get any help fromexperts in the audience or offer recommendations
on other experts you may know to assist to resolve
this issue. Fish is Marshallese main food of

the Iju in Ean women’s club. It is good to see
friends from all over the world. Thank you
Gensuikyo for the invitation.
The Marshall Islands were administered by theUnited States as a United Nations Trust Territory
from 1947 until 1986 when the Republic of the
Marshall Islands was established as a sovereign
nation in the free association with the UnitedStates. Previous to those years, the MarshallIslands was administered by Japan under a Leagueof Nations mandate, and was the site of many
important battles of the Pacific during World War
II. After World War II, the United States
established the Pacific Proving Grounds for testing
nuclear weapons. From 1946 through 1958, 67
nuclear weapons tests, in seven series, were carriedout by the United States at Bikini and Enewetak
Atolls located at the northwestern end of thearchipelago that makes up the Marshall Islands.
The location from military standpoint is
strategically suitable and important as it’s thegateway to the Americas in the North and gateway
to the Pacific and Asia.
The Marshal Islands has a unique anddevastating history with nuclear weapons. Whileit was designated as a Trust Territory by the United
Nations, no fewer than 67 atomic andthermonuclear
weapons
weredeliberately
exploded as ‘tests’ in the Marshalls Islands, by theUnited States. As a result of the tests, several
islands in my country were vaporized and gonefrom the face of the earth and others became
uninhabitable for thousands of years. Many,
many Marshallese have died, have suffered frombirth defects which are never before seen andbattled cancers caused by the contamination.
Tragically the Marshall Islands thus bears
eye-witness to the horrific and indiscriminate
lethal capacity of these weapons, and theinter-generational and continuing effects that they
perpetuate even 60 years later”.
This wasextracted from Former Minister Tony deBrum’s
testimony in The Hague, the International Court ofJustice.
Of the special significance was the largest test
conducted code-named Castle Bravo, a
15-megaton thermonuclear device tested on March
1st, 1954 on Bikini Atoll 1,000 times greater than
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
Even if the true extent of the bombs remainclassified and we are told our islands are safe toreturn, and that it is normal to contract cancer
illnesses, we will remain vigilant on the fact that weare being used and taken advantage of and we’ll
never trust. There are just so many incidents
occurred not only within the exposed population of
Rongelap community but people are suffering and24unaware of the fatal danger. These were the first
victims of the not yet completed Soviet atomic
bomb!
At a secret plant there were accidents. As aresult, a large amount of radioactive substanceswere released into the environment. Information
about them is considered a state secret.
The largest accident happened on September
29, 1957. At the production plant of Mayak, tanks
for storage of liquid high-level waste exploded. 20
million Curies of radioactivity were thrown into
the atmosphere. As a result, more than 20 thousandsquare kilometers were contaminated. Now it iscalled the "Kyshtym catastrophe." Soldiers andeven schoolchildren participated in the cleanup ofpollution after the accident. Safety standards were
not observed. Many received lethal doses ofradiation.
After the accident some 250 settlements wererelocated. The total number of officially registeredaffected civilians is more than 500,000 people, notincluding the military-liquidators of thecatastrophe.
After the invention of the bomb, there werenumerous tests of nuclear weapons. One of themtook place on September 14, 1954 with theparticipation of 45,000 soldiers and 10,000 local
residents. A plane dropped a nuclear bomb
capacity of 40 kilotons over Russian territory.
Many became victims of these tests. Moreover,health problems continued into the next generationof victims of these tests.
Over the past 70 years, 20 nuclear
single-industry towns were built and continue tofunction. Half of them are mainly related tonuclear weapons, the other half with operating
nuclear power plants. One and a half million
people currently live in these nuclear towns. This
is 1% of the Russian population. This "Rosatom
Country" is like a small secret "nuclear
matryoshka" within the Russian Federation.
Residents of the “Rosatom Country” live under
special laws. The liquid radioactive waste isallowed to be discharged into natural water bodies
or pumped underground. For example, the Mayakfacility in the nuclear city of Ozersk annuallydischarges into the Techa River 600,000 cubic
meters of liquid radioactive waste. This is theresult of the processing of 100 tons of spent
nuclear fuel from Russian nuclear submarines andnuclear power plants.
Russian citizens today continue to live on thebanks of the radioactive Techa River, just as it was
70 years ago. They are in fact living in aradioactive waste site. These are the modern
victims of the "Country of Rosatom". They are thegrandchildren of the victims of the first atomic

survival.
I realize more and more over the years as I am
involved in the movement at home, the region andinternational arenas. It makes sense and is crucial
to our survival. When my father asked me to carryon the work he left behind, this is exactly what hewas talking about and more so it’s because when we
speak about people of Rongelap, Utirik, Bikini,
Enewetak, Kwajalein and so forth, they are not just
numbers, we are talking about our own flesh andblood they are our aunties, uncles, cousins, sisters,
brothers, mother and father, grandpapas andgrandmamas. How I just refuse or give up?
I had the opportunity to work closely with uncle
John and Nelson Anjain and with Lemeyo Abon,
Lijohn Eknilang and Betty Edmond, etc. throughGensuikyo and Japanese Hibakusha. Thank you
for making my family the symbol of solidarity
between the people of Japan and Marshall Islands.
Let us keep the spirit alive and take our cooperationand friendship in solidarity to a higher level. No
More Hiroshima, No More Nagasaki No More
Bikini….We Shall Overcome!

Oleg Bodrov
Filmmaker/ President, Green World
RussiaRUSSIAN NUCLEAR VICTIMS:YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
Dear participants of the conference! Together
with you I bow my head and mourn the hundredsof thousands of lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
that instantly disappeared from our planet 71 years
ago.
Unfortunately the victims of atomic bombs
were not only in Japan!
I come from a country, which while competingwith the United States created its own nuclear
weapons. Fortunately those weapons were notexploded on the territory of other countries. But
the paradox is that the creation and testing of
nuclear weapons in the Soviet Union gave rise to anumber of victims, which is comparable to thenumber of victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
Weapons-grade plutonium for the first bomb
was produced in Russia in the mid-1940s. For this,the production center Mayak was built in the townof Ozersk in the Urals region. These works werecarried out in conditions of total secrecy, withneglect of health and human lives. Liquidradioactive waste was discharged into the Techa
River.
Many thousands people lived along the shoresof the river. They farmed, grazed cattle, and were25

comparable to Hiroshima, Nagasaki and
Fukushima.
And in Japan and Russia, there are hundreds ofthousands of victims of these technologies. We do
not need new victims!
We must be together for our peaceful future
without nuclear weapons and without nuclear
power!

bomb. It is a violation of the Russian Constitution,
which guarantees the right to a safe environment.
Those who try to protect the civil rights ofthese people are under pressure from theauthorities and the nuclear lobby. Nadezhda
Kutepova, head of the NGO "Planet of Hopes"from the nuclear town Ozersk, was forced to fleewith her three children from prosecution in Russia
in last year. She and her children have received
political asylum in France.
About 100 anti-nuclear, environmental andhuman rights Russian NGOs have been treated as"foreign agents."
They are black listed. This means, in theunderstanding of the authorities that such an NGO
is working against Russian interests. The
movement for a nuclear-free future is in this way
widely characterized by the authorities as beinganti-Russian.
"Rosatom Country" is a territory without
freedom. It is non-transparent, undemocratic andcorrupt.
Russian citizens cannot do an
independent and transparent monitoring on theenvironment and people’s health conditions in“Rosatom Country.”
Its authority says "Noenvironmental information means no problem.""Rosatom Country" started the aggressive
promotion of the business of nuclear electricity
export and the building of the nuclear power plants
in other countries. This business is based on the
nuclear infrastructure of the Cold War time.
Spent nuclear fuel from Russian nuclear power
plants and from plants outside of Russia is planned
to be reprocessed in those closed nuclear towns.
Fresh fuel for nuclear power plants is planned to be
produced from the uranium, extracted from thespent nuclear rods. Plutonium-239, produced as aresult of such processing, can be used to make newbombs, similar to that dropped on Nagasaki.
Emissions and discharges of radioactivity into
the nature, including the injection of liquidradioactive waste into the ground, in the closed
nuclear Russian single-industry towns is a threat
not only to Russia. Russian nuclear technologies,
including the processing of spent nuclear fuel, arelocated on the shores of the largest Eurasian rivers- the Ob and the Yenisei.
These rivers move radionuclides toward theArctic Ocean. This means that radioactive seafood
may be found on the table of future generations of
the people of Europe and other continents.
Dear participants of the conference, colleagues.
There can be no separation of nuclear technology
between "dangerous military" and "secure
peaceful" spheres.
I was with a research mission in the zone of theChernobyl just after the accident. This is a tragedy

Gediminas Rimdeika
The Green Policy Institute/ LithuanianGreen Party
Lithuania
Starting my speech, I want to inform you thatin May 2016, an international conference devoted
to the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversaryof the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster washeld at the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of
Lithuania. The resolution (appendix No. 1)
adopted by the Seimas (Parliament) of the
Republic of Lithuania drew attention to the factthat the participants in the conference approvedof the initiative of the residents of Japan to reduce
the number of nuclear weapons and supported their
aspiration to give up nuclear weapons in the world;that schools should devote more attention toeducational programmes and events related tonuclear safety, that the youth should be encouraged
to take a keener interest in the activities directedagainst nuclear weapons; the issues ofenvironmental protection,
prospects of thedevelopment of renewable energy resources, aswell as the issue of Astravas nuclear power plant
being built on the Lithuanian-Belarus border,
which poses a great danger to Lithuania, were also
highlighted in the resolution.
These are the issues of fundamental importancetoday, the problems that we should not forget;these are the answers that the leaders and thegovernments of the world states should provide.
Their actions should be oriented towards thewellbeing of the people, and they have to be open
and fair with respect to their citizens.
The decision on ending the war at the expenseof peaceful people by dropping the nuclear bombson the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki taken 71
years ago by the authorities of the USA wascondemned by the people of the world. The current
President of the United States Barrack Obama’s
visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park several
months ago and his bowing to HIBAKUSHAS(atomic bomb survivors) were an indirect-silent
apology for the global error committed by his
predecessors, a deep understanding of the former
senseless step, or, perhaps it was a firm step26

chain, we would see that it is not clean technology.
Technologies of renewable energy are alreadyhere and now: for the production of solar, wind,hydro and geothermal-electricity, for providing theway of solving the ecological problems of biomassof energy-heat and electricity, as well as biogases,
which can serve the needs of heat, electricity andtransport.
Following a successful example of yourorganization involving the youth into a fightagainst nuclear and hydrogen weapons, meetings
with school children have been organized forseveral years already at schools in Lithuania. On
the first of March this year and this is a symbolic
date - the 62nd anniversary of the explosion of thefirst hydrogen bomb in the world - with the help of
Gensuikyo organization, we started the educational
Lithuanian-Japanese project-exhibition Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. The Atomic Bomb and Humanity.
The exhibition encourages the school children andmembers of the society to draw attention to theglobal problems of the world that pose a threat tothe existence of humanity and humanism. At thepresent time this exhibition is being exposed in
Lithuanian schools and organizations. During theconference it was displayed at the Parliament(Seimas) of the Republic of Lithuania.
The future belongs to the younger generation.
This is not a hackneyed phrase. Having becomeacquainted with the short-sightedness andsenselessness of the armaments race and having
understood it well, the younger generation is going
to continue the march The World without the
Nuclear Weapons that we have staged today withfull responsibility. Such people as Putin, Merkel,
Obama or Kim Jong-un cannot impose their
viewpoints and positions on the world and cannot
dictate it. We shall try to achieve that in the future
the countries should start competing for thenumber of modern kindergartens and schools,
institutions of higher education, for the best social
guarantees, for the highest standard of living andfor the elimination of the stockpiles of nuclear
weapons.
In May 2016, during the international
conference held in Lithuania, where the thirtiethanniversary of the Chernobyl disaster wascommemorated, the residents of Chernobyl who
reside in Lithuania awarded the Japaneseorganisation Gensuikyo and its Executive Director
Hiroshi Takakusaki with the gold medal For
Public Interest. This is our very modest
contribution to the mighty work, which you
perform for the sake of humanity. Your nation andyour organisation has set an example to us inseeking for the common goal –THE WORLDWITHOUT THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

towards “the world without nuclear weapons”.
We want to appeal to the heads of the GreatPowers: Sirs, heads of the powerful states, thatpossess the nuclear weapon – all of you have to
visit the Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorials; thiswould help you better understand the senselessnessof the existence of nuclear weapons, you have tobend in memory of the Hibakushas and say to
yourselves the following – NO TO THE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS, our country will not havethis weapon, we shall invest these funds into
building kindergartens and schools.
Unfortunately, the events of the last spring inNorth Korea say to us that we have to concentrate
all progressive forces and work hard in this sphere.
Is and can atom be peaceful? Are nuclear
power plants really reliable and safe, and are they
really the source of cheap energy? In the middle ofthe twentieth century, with the need for energy
growing, nuclear energy became as though avariant of solving all these problems, mostprobably even a means of reducing climate change.
The Three Mile Island accident in 1979, theChernobyl disaster in 1986, the Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear disaster in 2011 and many more minor
accidents in nuclear power plants showed that thisis not cheap energy; this is energy with long-term
investments and long-term economic andecological consequences. Is it really an
irreplaceable source of energy? Here are someexamples for you: Portugal lived for five days
using only solar energy, nuclear power in Germany
accounts for as little as 10 per cent today, in somecountries it amounts to only one per cent of allenergy produced.
The greatest challenge and problem today isclimate change, which can cause catastrophic,
irreparable consequences, the global sea level rise,
flooded islands and coastal zones, which would
make entire nations and large crowds of people
look for new places of residence and water, andclimate extremities would bring about destructions
and cause an enormous material damage. Seeking
to avoid global warming by more than 2 degrees
centigrade it is necessary to carry out Paris COP 21
agreement using as many sources of renewableenergy instead of fossil fuels as possible toproduce heat and energy.
Nuclear energy is not the solution: neither
because of its extremely dangerous technologicalnature nor because of the unsolved problem of theutilization of radioactive wastes, nor because of theway of concentrating the same nuclear fuel(uranium), which requires a lot of electricity that isoften produced in electric power stations run oncoal (for example, the USA, Australia, Russia). If
we investigated the whole nuclear energy supply

27

Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, and theirchildren, sustainable health monitoring database
performance, consistent and clear Specialists
Commission diseases interface with participation inliquidation of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
accident to identify activities, publicity andcooperation with the public representatives;
2) statistical data collection and full
responsibility and accountability to Chernobyl
workers’ and their children‘s health care andprevention issues to the Government of the
Republic of Lithuania;
stresses the need for Lithuanian Chernobyl
workers’ and their children’s legal and social
guarantees;encourages Vilnius city municipality to takemeasures to protect the monument „Chernobyl‘smother“, dedicated to the victims of the Chernobyl
disaster;suggests taking all possible legal measures to
Astravo nuclear power plant in Belarus to beconstructed in accordance with adequate safety
instructions of the international organizations;calls to strengthen the emergency preparation of
Lithuanian authorities, updating legislation, in state,municipal level – the action of radiation emergency
plans, providing the appropriate measures (early
warning stations, shelters to residents, evacuation,
stable iodine prevention application and etc.) withthe help to protect the health of residents ofLithuania from harmful effects of ionizing
radiation;
stresses the need to strengthen the preparationof the institutions of the Republic of Lithuania tofight terrorism, including the illegal usage ofradioactive materials, distribution, or usage andability to detect illegal nuclear or radioactive
materials;
encourages the Lithuanian Ministry of
Education and Science:
1) to pay more attention to educational
programs and events related with nuclear security in
Lithuanian schools, as well as to encourage theyouth to take an active interest against nuclear
weapons oriented activities and put forward by it; tointegrate nuclear accidents prevention topics;2) to strengthen the Lithuanian schools
cooperation with the victims of nuclear weapons,also the active fight against nuclear weapons inschools, in order to ensure objective information
about nuclear weapons and the spread of its usage.

<Appendix No.1>
THE PARLIAMENT OF LITHUANIARESOLUTION
FOR THE ISSUES RAISED AT THE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE
30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISASTER IN
CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
No. XIIP-4434(2)25th May, 2016 No.
VilniusThe Parliament of Lithuania,
regarding to the fact that, on May 6th, 2016 in
the Parliament of Lithuania, Lithuanian Parliament
Energy Commission and charitable foundation“Our Coast” organized an international conference
on the 30th anniversary of Chernobyl catastrophe;
noting, that this international conference was todiscuss the nuclear accidents, occurred at
Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants,
causes and consequences to the environment andpublic health, political and economic developmentof nuclear energy and radiation safety aspects,
issues, related with environmental protection
operation of the nuclear power, renewable energy
resource development perspective, Lithuanian
representatives participated in the liquidation of theChernobyl nuclear power plant accident, the legal
status of Chernobyl workers and their children‘sinappropriate medical care, legal and social securityof clean-up workers, living in other countries,
emergency preparation and response to nuclear andradiological accidents strengthening necessity,
services, which respond to the events of the first(fire protection, ambulance, etc.), preparation andtraining of employees, conservation and otherissues of memorial monument „Chernobyl‘smother“, dedicated to Chernobyl catastrophe
victims;
drawing attention to the fact that theparticipants of this conference signed theinternational petition, in support of Japanese people,
survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic
bombing, a request for refusal of nuclear weapon;
regarding to the lessons, learnt after Hiroshima
and Nagasaki atomic bombing and explosion ofhydrogen bomb in Bikini atoll, and also after anuclear power plant accident in Chernobyl and
Fukushima,
supports the international initiative to reduce
the amount of nuclear weapons and expansion ofindividual regions in continents, where there are no
nuclear weapons;
encourages the Lithuanian Ministry of Healthto ensure:1) proper health care of Lithuanian
representatives, participated in the liquidation of the

Chairman of Parliament of Lithuania
Provides:Ričardas SargūnasKęstutis Daukšys

28basic condition. Today, 30 years after the accident,
it is known that, in addition to increasing cases ofmalignant tumors of the thyroid, prostate, stomach,lung, and urinary bladder, disorders are developingin liquidators’ circulatory systems, digestivesystems, endocrine systems, sensory systems,
nervous systems, and immune systems. (Data were
provided by Prof. Maija Eglite of the Pauls
Stradins Clinical University, Latvia).
The notion of contemporary medicine is that inprinciple, a disease develops in one organ and ends
by treating that organ, but the cases mentioned
above suggest that this no longer works.
In fact, clinical conditions that produce suchcomplex clinical symptoms in various systems
resemble to the diencephalic syndrome [raredisorder caused by a tumor that is usually locatedin the diencephalon] which Dr. Konuma Masuho,
psychiatrist and professor at Hiroshima University
at the time, observed in 1953, several years after
the A-bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan
Medical Journal No. 1547 issued in 1953).
The clinical condition includes fatigue,
forgetfulness, giddiness and headaches. The
sufferer is likely to contract other diseases andhave difficulty adapting to changing temperaturesand other environmental conditions. They are also
unable to maintain the ability to work regularly.
While such symptoms were ignored in theearly stages by mainstream researchers in thehistorical study on delayed effects of radiation,
they are now being found again in liquidators’
clinical conditions. This teaches us that because
humans live in the real world, radiation effects onhuman health can take complex forms, combinedwith environmental factors surrounding individual
humans.
It is now a well-established fact that theincidence of leukemia is rising conspicuously
among the liquidators. According to the studies
by A.Y. Romanenko et al. and L.B. Zablotska et al.
of Ukraine, the excess relative risk (ERR) of total
leukemia among the liquidators is 3.44 per Gy and2.38 per Gy, respectively, both of which are similar
to the value shown by the A-bomb sufferers.
(Diagram on page 30 on the incidence ofleukemia vs. excess relative risk is drawn by Saito;
The relative risk = 1 + excessive relative risk).
This approximation reinforces the suggestion thatthe liquidators’ leukemia was caused by radiation.
As is the case with A-bomb survivors, theliquidators need to be placed under long term
health surveillance focusing on malignant tumors
as well as other diseases. It is an established factthat radiation affects a person over a long period oftime, as shown to date over the entire life span of
the Hibakusha. It is also one of the grounds on

Saito Osamu, M.D.
Watari Hospital, Fukushima/ Japan
Council against A and H Bombs(Gensuikyo)
Liquidators of the Chernobyl NPP Accident:
Thirty Years of Suffering from Radiation
1. I visited Lithuania and Latvia in May 2016as a member of the Gensuikyo delegation. I took
part in the International Conference held in Vilnius,
the capital of Lithuania to commemorate the 30thyear since the Chernobyl NPP accident. After the
conference, we exchanged views and shared
information with government officials, “liquidators”(those people engaged in the clean-up work of thecrippled NPP) and many others from the two
Baltic countries.
This statement is about damage sustained by
the liquidators from radiation exposure 30 years
after the Chernobyl NPP accident and about thepresent state of support given to them in the twocountries.
2. Liquidators are those who have been
involved in the decontamination of radioactive
substances in areas, including the 30 km zone, thehalting of operations at the remaining reactors,
dosimetry, dam construction, and other related
work. They are said to have been exposed to a
total of 120 mSv on average from radiation sources
outside the body. About 85% of the workers
were exposed to radiation in the region of 20 mSv
and 500 mSv. During the period between 1986
and 1988, about 7,000 people were sent to
Chernobyl from Lithuania, and 6,000 from Latvia.
• Total number of Liquidators= 600,000 from Russia,
Ukraine, Belarus and the three Baltic states(including 7,000 from Lithuania and 6,000 from
Latvia)• Between 1986 and 1987: 240,000 people worked in
the area, including the 30km zone
• Dosage (External exposure)
Between 1986 and 1987: the average effective
dose = 120 mSv
Dosage to which 85% of the liquidators were
exposed: between 20 mSv and 500 mSv• Exposure mode: Chronic exposure to low-level
radiation(2011WP RIHSS, Working Party on Research
Implications on Health and Safety Standard)

The latent health injury which visited manyliquidators is believed to have been triggered byphysical fatigue, mental stress, unbalanced diet or
exposure to chemicals, mainly due to the constantinflammatory conditions caused by radiation as the29same time, how firmly the Hibakusha are
determined to end the government’s reluctance tosquarely face the issues.
Let me take up the case of the Fukushima
Daiichi NPP accident in 2011. The very root
cause of the torment that people have been
suffering from for the past five years because of
the accident lies in the refusal of Tokyo ElectricPower Company (TEPCO) and the national
government to accept legal responsibility.
However, a court last year supported a causal
relationship between suicides committed by two
residents on different occasions and the nuclear
accident. For some 90,000 people who are still
forced to live under evacuation, the ruling was asmall but encouraging step forward. In the recent
Upper House election in July, Fukushima voterschose to act to ensure that an incumbent ministerrunning in the single-seat constituency lost his seat.
I want to report to you that the people’s struggles
on the political and judicial stages, which reveals
the many absurdities facing this country, arecontinuing without pause.
In terms of the liquidators, the international
community is well aware of the enormity of theChernobyl accident. Liquidators know that theaccident was brought under control thanks to theirown self-sacrificing effort. This is what I learned
again from them. I believe that they will not fail toovercome the difficulties facing them, based on thelessons they have drawn from their extraordinary
experiences.
In July 2016, news came that NATO leaders
had agreed to deploy military forces to Poland andthe three Baltic States. The Japanese people arealso standing at a crossroads over their country’s
future. I conclude my report by expressing myhope for the people’s struggle in Lithuania and theother Baltic States to further advance the struggle
to support the liquidators, to defend peace byending military confrontations, and to contribute to
the elimination of nuclear weapons.

which the Hibakusha are calling for no more
nuclear damage to future generations.
3. The Lithuanian movement to support theliquidators was prepared in the process of
Lithuania’s independence in 1990 from the former
Soviet Union.
The liquidators’ exposure toradiation actually means the suffering ofLithuanian workers, soldiers and scientists. The
relief of the liquidators was an integral part of thetask for Lithuania to achieve democracy andindependence. Dr. Gediminas Rimdeika, who iswith us in this session, has long served as presidentof Sapiega Hospital, the main medical center forthe liquidators. He is playing a key role insupporting the liquidators.
The report Dr. Rimdeika delivered at theInternational Conference in May on the 30th
anniversary of the Chernobyl Accident came as ashock. It said that the Chernobyl Medical Center,
which was founded at Sapiega Hospital shortly
after the declaration of independence, was closedby the government in 2010. What was going on?
In Latvia, on the other hand, assistance to theliquidators is still continuing, and medical care andresearch for the liquidators are well coordinated at
the Pauls Stradins Clinical University. Why arethese two countries different? We cannot findreasons for this difference in the clinical conditionof the liquidators. The reason may be found in
the difference in the underlying politics.
Looking back on what my country has been
doing, you will find that our effort to relieve the
A-bombsufferers
hasbumpedagainstmulti-layered walls of government bureaucracy.
The government has always tried to respond to theissue with a limited understanding of the ideas
behind the relief law, often neglecting to
implement it. The Hibakusha have demanded
improvement and expansion of the relief measuresin their court struggles that have continued since
1969.
This shows how the government ispersistent in resisting their demands and, at the30radiation exposure and take the necessary
measures to treat them.
Korean Hibakusha
sustained horrendous damage in Japan all throughthe war as well as due to the atomic bomb.
However, they have been discriminated against by
the Japanese government. They have been denied
adequate compensation due to the South Korean
government’s indifference.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of Korean
people in Japan were exposed to atomic bombradiation. Many of them are now dead and there
are about 2,400 Korean survivors of the atomic
bombing, the average age being 82. Most ofthem are struggling with poverty and various
diseases. The good news is that the current upper
limit on medical benefits paid to Hibakusha wholive in foreign countries is likely to be removed
based on a 2015 court ruling after a four-year court
battle. If the ceiling is removed, it will be ofgreat help to Hibakusha.
Friends, in the northern half of the Korean
Peninsula, North Korea has conducted several
nuclear tests, threatening South Korea and the restof the world. We Hibakusha are living witnessesof the atomic bombing and know how horrible
nuclear weapons are.
Nuclear weapons must not be produced. The
nuclear powers should abandon all their nuclear
arsenals. The nuclear tragedy should never be
repeated. All of us here at the conference shouldtake a lead in the international anti-nuke movement.
Let us join forces to create a peaceful world
without nuclear weapons.
I would like to conclude my speech by praying
those killed in the A-bomb attacks may rest inpeace and wish all Hibakusha good health. I also
wish you a successful World Conference and good
health.

Statements:
Cha Moo Nam
Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty Association
Republic of Korea
Dear friends who are here to attend theInternational Meeting of the 2016 World
Conference against A and H Bombs, in particular
overseas delegates.
My name is Cha Moo Nam. I’m a Korean
Hibakusha and I’m honored to have been invited tothe conference.
I was born in Tokyo’s Tama district. My
family moved to Hiroshima’s Eba Town at thesuggestion of my father’s friend, who said
Hiroshima was a good place to live. That was
three months before the city was destroyed by theatomic bomb. Working at construction sites or at
a local diner, my parents did their utmost to makeends meet, hoping that they would be better off.
On the morning of the day the atomic bomb
was dropped, my parents were about to leave home
for work after breakfast. Our house suddenly
collapsed with a big bang and we were thrown intoa living hell. All four family members had
bloodied faces and bodies, covered with dust.
They were dumfounded for a while. Hearing
people screaming and buzzing outside, wemanaged to get out of the collapsed house. We
joined a crowd of people taking shelter in a safe
place in a firing range located at the foot of anearby mountain. That was the beginning ofhardships. Initially, we were getting along withother evacuees. As time went by, people began to
do things separately on their own, and my family
decided to go to stay with relatives in Tokyo.
After three months in Tokyo, we returned to ourhometown, Hapcheon, in South Korea. I later
learned that what awaited us were poverty, hunger
and glacial looks from others.
As there were few medical facilities to treat
A-bomb survivors, many Hibakusha died one after
another after suffering from various aftereffects.
My father died at the age of 65 after a long battlewith cancer. My mother also passed away due toskin and biliary tract cancers.
It was a more heart-wrenching fact that wewere isolated from society by local people due tobeing Hibakusha. The harsh reality was that wewere unable to live a normal life as members ofsociety. It is also a major source of concern that
the Japanese government has yet to recognize thepossibility that the aftereffects of atomic bombings
affected children as well. I believe that theJapanese and South Korean governments shouldtake a close look at the aftereffects of atomic bomb
31

Plenary Session II:
International Treaty for the Prohibition and Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons; A World without Nuclear Weapons; Role of Peace
Movement and Civil Society㸦August 2㸧
military-industrial complex’s candidate,iii as wellas Wall Street’s. She was the Secretary of State
who followed President Obama’s inspiring speechin Prague, by saying that nuclear weapons could be
abolished “in some century”, not this one, and her
Vice-Presidential running mate is a man who has
advocated full funding for the $1 trillion triad. The
white supremacist Donald Trump has spoken outof all sides of his mouth, and there is concern –even among Republicans – about someone with his
emotional instability have having their finger on
the nuclear button. But, even though he has
repeatedly asked why we can’t use our nuclear
weapons, like Hillary, his approach to nuclear
weapons would probably be largely determined bywhat we term the “Deep State,” the so-called
national security bureaucracy. So, I thought it
might be helpful to share with you that
establishment’s approach to nuclear weapons andnuclear war.
Near the pinnacle of that power elite is Brad
Roberts, one of Hilary’s senior advisory and theauthor of The Case for U.S. Nuclear Weapons in
the 21st Century.iv He was Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile
Defense Policies during the first Obama
Administration – which may help to explain why
Obama failed to take meaningful steps to
implement his promise in Prague to work for anuclear weapons-free world.
Roberts is a Cold Warrior and writes that “Asnuclear weapons played so central a role in themain international conflicts of the second half ofthe 20th century….it is difficult to imagine thatthey will not play some role in the main conflicts
in the 21st century.”
To ensure that North Korea, Russia and China
cannot coerce or blackmail Washington, Roberts
cites “U.S. nuclear declaratory policy [which]states that the United States will consider the useof nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances todefend its vital interests or those of its allies andpartners, whether those extreme circumstances
are created by nuclear attack or others means.”
He also argues that “it is necessary to beprepared to actually employ nuclear weapons if

Introductory Reports:
Joseph Gerson
Disarmament Coordinator
American Friends Service Committee
U.S.A.
Preaching Nuclear Temperance from a
Bar Stool & the Imperative ofPopular Action for Human Survival
Friends, it is a privilege to return to Hiroshima
and the World Conference, to be reunited withinspiring activist friends from across Japan andaround the world. Through our experiences here –especially with the Hibakusha - we deepen ourcommitments to work for a nuclear weapons, bases
and war-free world. It is also a special pleasure to
be joined this year by my friend and organizing
partner Paul Kawika Martin and by Haleigh
Copley a rising star and future leader in our
movement.
As I begin, let me say that I was deeply
impressed by the petition and campaigns to defend
the peace constitution and those of us in the U.S.
movement will do what we can to support yourefforts to preserve Article 9.
Increasingly dangerous tensions between the
U.S. and China and with Russia have reached thepoint that former US Secretary of Defense Perry,the most senior U.S. war planner in Bill Clinton’sadministration, is warning that “the danger ofsome sort of nuclear catastrophe is greater than it
was during the Cold War.”i While NATO’s
expansion to Russia’s borders and its
overwhelming superiority in conventional,
high-tech and space weapons have been thedriving forces in these tensions, Russia’s increased
reliance on its nuclear arsenal and nuclear saber
rattling are dangerous and unacceptable.ii In
addition the renewed nuclear arms races between
the great powers and in South Asia, we are also
confronted by provocative military exercises –including by Japan - which, through miscalculation,
accident or intent could trigger nuclear cataclysm.
Hillary Clinton has been described as the
32the red lines in U.S. nuclear declaratory policies
are crossed in ways consistent with U.S. politicalobjectives.” [emphasis added.] This is consistent
with the W. Bush Doctrine for Joint Nuclear
Operations that stressed that “the focus of US
deterrence efforts is….to influence potential
adversaries to withhold actions intended to harm
US’ national interests.”v This could include
defending so-called U.S. vital interests in theSouth China Sea, preserving the Western-oriented
oligarchy in Ukraine, or “our oil” under Saudi
sands.
Roberts then names what he describes as the”
irreplaceable functions” of the U.S. nuclear
arsenal:“1. To cast a shadow of unacceptable cost
and/or incalculable risk over an adversary’s
decision about whether to put in jeopardy a vitalinterest of the United States and/or an ally or
partner.” (Again, think in terms of the South
China Sea, Ukraine and the Middle East.) “2. To
signal the resolve of the United States…” “3. To
demonstrate U.S. capacity to respond to any levelof nuclear escalation by an adversary….” “4. To
reassure U.S. allies that U.S. commitments to them
are credible” “5. To ensure a balance of powerwith both Russia and China …” “6. To assure theU.S. that the risks associated with its national
strategy of international engagement and power
projection are manageable”, i.e. reinforcing its
global empire.
Roberts fails to name the seventh irreplaceable
function of the U.S. nuclear arsenal: serving as africtionless conveyor belt for the corporate
super-profits harvested by maintaining the nuclear
arsenal and the $1 trillion to be spent for the newgeneration of U.S. nuclear weapons.
The international humanitarian consequencesof nuclear weapons movement, our movement, has
put the nuclearists on the defensive. His cold
blooded response is that there are moral
considerations that can necessitate attacks with
nuclear weapons that, as we know, would inflict
Hell on earth. Roberts “moral" arguments fornuclear war fighting include preventing “damage
to the vital national interests” of the U.S., its allies
or partners, preventing conventional wars “orstopping the escalation of nuclear conflict fromsmall scale to large.” This is insanity.
This also helps to explain why, even with
Obama’s trip to Hiroshima, word in the WhiteHouse is that they can and should disregard thecampaign to negotiate the so-called “Ban” treaty.
They have the weapons, and in their view thedemands from a number of non-nuclear weapons
states -- even a majority of the world’s nations -should be experienced as water rolling off a duck’s

back. Such is the nature of imperial power andarrogance.
Nevertheless, one positive element of Robert’s
thinking is worth taking seriously, and it is implicit
in Article VI of the NPT. It is that if we are to
make progress toward nuclear disarmament, wemust create conditions that facilitate it. This I
believe means pursuing Common Security
diplomacy among the Great Powers. Some of thelimited steps are listed in the recommendations in
the Deep Cuts Commission’s Back from the Brink
report.vi They would still leave us far from thenuclear weapons-free world essential to humansurvival, but they could prevent nuclear
catastrophe in the near to mid-term. vii
Remembering the consequences of anassassin’s gun in Sarajevo 100 years ago and the
Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1931, we havereason to worry about what might happen in acrisis if a frightened or overly aggressive U.S.,
Russian or Chinese soldier, in anger or by accident,
fires the missile that brings down a U.S., Japaneseor another Chinese or Russian warplane. As the
Deep Cuts Commission concluded “Against thisbackground, any military incidents at sea or in the
air resulting from increasingly provocative militaryactivities raise growing concerns that they willlead to unintended escalation.” People are human.
Accidents happen. There are rogue military andpolitical actors. And systems are built to respond –sometimes automatically.
Then there is the matter of Obama’s legacy,
how to fill the yawning chasm between his Prague
pledge and how little he has accomplished. He“has reduced the U.S. stockpile less than any otherpost-Cold War president[.]viii Myth making andpreparing the way for what are likely to be very
limited changes in U.S. nuclear war preparations
and doctrine may help to explain the timing of his
visit here.
Polls indicated that 98% of Japanese were
happy with Obama’s visit. Thus his detour to
Hiroshima certainly served the purpose of building
support for the U.S.-Japanese alliance to contain
China. I agree with the disappointment expressedby Tanaka Terumi and Taniguchi Sumiteru of
Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A-and
H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) that Obama
failed to use his Hiroshima visit to announce
significant steps toward nuclear weapons abolition.
Obama spoke about the need for a moral
revolution, but as Senator Markey noted, “The U.S.
cannot preach nuclear temperance from a barstool.”ix
The statement AFSC helped to initiate, signedby 75 prominent scholars and activists, urged
Obama to meet with all Hibakusha who were able33

to attend, to announce an end to spending for the$1 trillion nuclear triad, to reinvigorate nuclear
disarmament diplomacy by following the exampleof the first President Bush and announcing theunilateral reduction of 500 U.S. deployed nuclear
weapons to reinvigorate disarmament diplomacy,
to challenge Putin to join the U.S. in convening the“good faith negotiations” for a nuclear weaponsabolition convention as required by the NPT, andto reconsider his decision not to apologize for the
A-bombings.x
Many of us were horrified to learn that Obama
traveled to Hiroshima with the “nuclear football.”
We were also upset that the reason Obama and
Abe presented their flowers at the Cenotaph
sequentially was to ensure that the world didn’t
notice that he did not bow as deeply as Abe. The
reason: to avoid any appearance of an apology forwhat was one of the worst crimes against
humanity.
But the question of Obama’s legacy remains.
Benjamin Rhodes, Obama’s Deputy National
Security Advisor, tells us that Obama “iscontinuing to review a number of ways he canadvance the Prague agenda over the course of thenext seven months.” Word leaking from theWhite House is that President Obama believes thatspending for nuclear weapons “modernization” –sometimes referred to as a financial “bow wave”
that could sink the Pentagon’s other spending
priorities - has gone far beyond what was
anticipated when Obama succumbed to Republican
demands to spend $185 billion for new nuclear
weapons in order to win votes for New START
Treaty ratification.
The Obama administration has been weighing
the possibility of renouncing the nation’s firststrike doctrine, an action opposed by the Abegovernment and by senior figures in Obama’s
cabinet. There is also discussion of the creation ofa blue ribbon committee, opposed by leading
Republicans, as a means of reducing spending forthe trillion-dollar triad – especially blocking the
new and destabilizing long range standoff
air-launched cruise missile and a new generationof ground-based ICBMs. Both measures would be
helpful arms control steps, but they are far fromreal progress toward a nuclear weapons-free world
and could easily be overturned by Obama’s
successor.
We know from experience, and recall U.N.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reminding us thatgovernments will not deliver us a nuclear-weapons
free world. It will not be won without powerfulpressure from below. Just as we forced President
Reagan to begin the disarmament negotiations
with Mikhail Gorbachev that had been longresisted and which ended the Cold War, our job isto force our governments to begin negotiating a
nuclear weapons abolition convention.
At AFSC, we work with many partners on ahost of initiatives, including the statement urging
Obama not to come to Hiroshima empty handed.
Paul Kawika Martin delivered the statement to asenior figure in the White House. Itsreverberations across the Japanese media certainly
reached Ambassador Kennedy. And its publicationin the U.S. and in Japan provided framing andencouragement to thousands of grassroots
activists.
Working with the Future of Life Institute,
Don’t Bank on the Bomb and Massachusetts Peace
Action, we won a unanimous decision by the
Cambridge City Council to divest pension andother funds from all financial institutions involvedin the production of nuclear weapons. This wascited as a model for other cities in a resolution thatwas recently adopted by the U.S. Conference ofMayors. It also serves as an inspiration for similar
resolutions from other cities, universities andreligious denominations. The campaign won’t
bankrupt nuclear weapons producers, but it is agreat tool for popular education and helps tostigmatize nuclear weapons.
In Iowa and New Hampshire, where the firstpresidential caucus and primary are held, AFSC
led the “Governing Under the Influence” campaign
focused on the corrupting influences of themilitary-industrial complex and other big moneyon our political system. We trained hundreds of
local activists to seek out aspiring presidential
candidates and to ask challenging questions that
educated the audience, the candidate and the media.
A central element of this campaign was ourchallenge to the funding of the trillion-dollar triad,
and our campaign contributed to the Democratic
Party adopting a platform that calls for reduction
in nuclear weapons spending.xi
The Peace and Planet Network, whichorganized the international mobilization on the eveof the 2015 NPT Review Conference, is promoting
the “Chain Reaction” events across the world
between now the International Peace Bureau’s“Disarm! For a Climate of Peace” Congress inBerlin. With panels at the Left Forum in New
York City, we raised the alarm about theincreasing dangers of nuclear war, the urgent needfor nuclear weapons abolition, as well as the needto oppose NATO’s provocative build up andactions across Europe. Next week, we’ll be leading
a nuclear weapons abolition events at the World
Social Forum in Montreal.
In closing, let me say a few words about thepetition campaign launched this spring by Nihon

34

Hidankyo. As those of you who witnessed thepresentation of nearly seven million petition
signatures to the NPT Review Conference, yoursignature solicitations for nuclear weaponsabolition have an enormous international impact.
NPT Review President Ambassador Feroukhi
instructed the Review Conference that yourpetitions and our actions reflected the expectations
and demands of international civil society. The
current petition campaign is critically important,
and we will promote it at the World Social Forumand with Gensuikyo at the International Peace
Bureau’s Congress in Berlin.
Please appreciate that your petitions have
served to contain those in the Japanese military
and the Abe cabinet who assert that despite Article
9 Japan has the right to possess nuclear weapons.
Vice-President Biden was correct when he warned
that Japan has the technologies and resources tobecome a nuclear power “overnight.”
With
Donald Trump’s stupid assertion that Japan andSouth Korea should become nuclear weapons
states, we understand anew both our
responsibilities in the United States, and thecritical importance of your petition campaign.
Friends, we have much to do. I look forward to
our discussions in the coming days as we work fora world with No More Hiroshimas! No MoreNagasakis! No More Hibakusha! No More Foreign
Military Bases! And No More War!
------------------------------------------

Carol Turner
National Council Member
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
U.K.
Good afternoon everyone. I bring greetingsfrom the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament UK,
and thank our hosts, the World Conference
Against A and H Bombs for the opportunity toaddress you.
You will know 2016 is an important year for us
in Britain – the year in which the government will
finalise its plans to upgrade Trident, Britain’s
nuclear weapons system, based in Scotland.
x Trident is a weapons of indiscriminate
mass destruction. It includes an estimated
220 warheads – each of which has an
explosive power 8 times that of the atomic
bomb dropped on Hiroshima. There can be noconceivable use for such a weapon.
x Trident is not independent. Britain rents its
missile system from the United States andbuilds warhead to US designs. Thisdependency has bred unacknowledged
support for American foreign and military
policies.
x Trident does not protect Britain from thesecurity threats we’re facing. As recently aslast November, the government published asecurity risk assessment which made thisplain.
o What good are nuclear weapons
against terrorism or cyber-attack?
o How can they protect us from natural
disasters or health pandemics?
o How can nuclear weapons stop theactivities of transnational criminalorganisations
suchaspeopletrafficking and drug dealing?
x Trident is unaffordable. CND calculates the
lifetime costs will amount to an eye-watering£205 billion at current prices.
I’d like to take a few moments to describe
CND’s approach. The Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament was launched in February 1958,
three years after the founding of the Japan Council
Against A and H Bombs. Nowadays ourmembership numbers in the region of 35,000
people – national members of CND and of themany local groups around Britain. I am chair ofLondon Region CND, where about 20% of ourmembers are based.
CND walks on two feet. We lobby
decision-makers, and we organise mass action on
the streets – from national demonstrations to local
street stalls. What our members do – week to week
and month to month, in towns and cities all overi. William J. Perry. My Journey at the Nuclear Brink,
Stanford, Ca.: Stanford Security Studies, 2016
ii. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31899680;
https://www.rt.com/news/350986-russia-nato-encroachmen
t-punishment/
iii. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-sachs/hillaryis-the-candidate_b_9168938.html
iv Brad Roberts. The Case for U.S. Nuclear Weapons
in the 21st Century. Stanford, Ca: Stanford Security Studies,
2015.
v. Department of Defense, Doctrine for Joint Nuclear
Operations, Joint Publications, 15 March, 2005. Cited inJeffrey Sachs. “Hillary Is the Candidate of the War
Machine”, Huffington post, February 5, 2016,vi. http://deepcuts.org/publications/reports
vii. “Back from the Brink: Toward Restraint and
Dialogue between Russia and the West”, Brookings
Institution: Washington, D.C., June, 2016,
http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2016/06/russiawest-nato-restraint-dialogueviii. William J. Broad. “Reduction of Nuclear Arsenal
Has Slowed Under Obama”, New York Times, May 27,
2016/
ix. https://theintercept.com/2016/05/27/senator-scoldsobama-for-preaching-nuclear-temperance-from-a-bar-stool/x. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/24/national/
prominent-scholars-urge-obama-use-hiroshima-visit-reinvi
gorate-push-nukes/#.V4kDNfkrLIU
xi http://gui.afsc.org/

35

leadership candidate ever. His 251,417 votes
amounted to two-thirds more than the entire
membership of the Conservative Party.
Jeremy’s campaign was three-pronged:
x against austerity
x against war, andx against nuclear weapons.
All of these have a popular resonance with thepeople whose living standards are being driven
down by a harsh neo-liberal economic regime, andwho despair of grey-suited establishment
politicians.
I don’t mean to imply that everything’s goingwell in British politics of course. Far from it. We
are also seeing the rise of xenophobic, reactionary
forces – represented by figures such as Nigel
Farage who leads the UK Independence Party.
Racism and opposition to immigration played
an important part in the recent European Union
referendum. The timing of the Trident vote, by theway, is largely the result of the government trying
to unite a bruised and divided Conservatives Partyaround its traditional ‘strong defence’ stance.
The disorientation caused by the leave vote,also provided an opening for Jeremy’s opponents
in the Parliamentary Labour Party to trigger
another leadership challenge – an attempt to drive
nuclear disarmament and other progressive
policies out of the political mainstream. This is
resisted by ordinary people. The current challenge
to his leadership brought 184,000 new supporters
on board in under a week. Labour’s membership is
now bigger than ever before in its history.
These uncertain times, and it’s impossible topredict what happens next. Nuclear disarmament
goes deep to the heart of the British state, and thepolitical establishment is conducting a relentless
war of attrition against Corbyn who has playedsuch an important part in keeping Trident at theforefront of public attention.
Even if Jeremy survives – and he’s odd-on
favourite to do so – CND still faces a tremendous
fight. We pledge to conduct the campaign for
nuclear disarmament in Britain to the best of ourability:
For an end to all nuclear weapons!
For a more just, peaceful and secure world!

Britain – is indispensable. It keeps us in touch andfocussed.
And CND has a number of important affiliates
and partner organisations we work with on aregular basis, like Stop the War Coalition.
This year CND UK has:x held a Stop Trident national demonstration– the biggest nuclear disarmament protest
in a generation supported by dozens ofpartner organisations;x called a mass lobby of parliament,
attended by hundreds of people who
travelled to Westminster to talk to their
Member of Parliament; andx when the government called a vote on
Trident with only one week’s notice, thatday we took a petition signed by over
40,000 people to the Ministry of Defence,organised a gathering of anti-Trident MPs,
and held an emergency protest outside
parliament.
It was widely anticipated that the government
would win the vote. But there was significant
opposition: 458 MPs voted for Trident
replacement; 117 voted against; and 52 abstained.
More than one-third of MPs did not support the
government.
Most notably all 56 Scottish National Party
MPs voted against. The SNP has a No Trident
platform, as do the Labour Party in Scotland andthe Scottish trades union confederation.
The Green Party organises across Britain, andalso opposes all nuclear weapons. The Greens area growing force in British politics, Theirrepresentative in Westminister, Caroline Lucas, isleader of the Parliamentary CND group of MPs.
Opposition to Trident is far from exhausted.
Successive opinion polls throughout the British
mainland show a majority of people against.
Let me draw to a close with a thumb-nailsketch of the political conditions in which we’re
working. A new mood is sweeping Britain, as it iselsewhere in Europe and North America. One
manifestations is the rise of anti-establishment
political figures such as Jeremy Corbyn in Britain
and Bernie Sanders in the United States.
As many of you will know, Jeremy Corbyn is alife-long member of CND. When he became leaderof the British Labour Party last September, he was
our Vice Chair – actively engaged in the day to
day running of CND. After his election heannounced on TV he would never press thenuclear button if he were prime minister – astatement that sent Westminster into a frenzy!
Jeremy stood as the outsider candidate with nohope of victory…. or so we thought! He waselected by 59.95%, the biggest vote of any

36

Abolish Nuclear Weapons), political lobbying andpublications, including the annual Don't Bank on
the Bomb global study on investments in nuclear
weapons producers.
PAX is based in the Netherlands.
The
Netherlands is state party to the Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) and Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT)
and has signed and ratified the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Although
the Netherlands does not possess nuclear weapons
itself, my country participates in theNATO nuclear weapons sharing agreements andhosts about 20 U.S. non-strategic gravity B-61
warheads at the Volkel Air Base – which is one of
the worst kept secrets in NATO and Europe.
When the Humanitarian Initiative evolved
within the framework of the NPT in 2013, we
decided that it was time to scale up our national
campaign work. Because suddenly we had amajority of the world's governments (159 states)
saying loud and clear that nuclear weapons should
never be used again, under any circumstances.
Unfortunately, the Netherlands was not one ofthem.
We had a majority of the world's governments(127 states) pledging to negotiate a new treaty toprohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. And
unfortunately, the Netherlands is not one of them.
Due to these developments at international
level, we decided to run a big nuclear disarmamentcampaign in the Netherlands, to get nuclear
disarmament, and especially a ban treaty on thepolitical agenda. There is large public support for
the removal of the nuclear weapons from Dutchand European soil, but we needed to bring all
efforts together to communicate this, together with
the need for a ban treaty, loud and clear to ourpoliticians.
We used a Dutch political
campaigning tool which is called a ‘citizen’s
initiative’: if you gather more than 40.000
signatures for a proposal on a topic that hasn’t
been discussed in Dutch Parliament in the last two
years, the Parliament is obliged to talk about yourproposal. We wrote a proposal on a national ban
on nuclear weapons and went out on the streets to
get the signatures.
The citizen’s initiative got the support fromreligious leaders, Dutch celebrities, a long list of
mayors from various political parties and political
youth wings. Our main partners were the Dutch
Red Cross and one of the largest ethical banks in
the Netherlands. Over 45.000 Dutch citizens
have signed the petition to support a ban andwanted to show their support at Parliament.
In April, this year, our proposal was discussed
in Parliament. In her speech my colleague Krista
van Velzen, who was a Dutch member of

Selma van Oostwaard
Program Officer, Humanitarian
Disarmament Team, PAX
The Netherlands
It is a great honour for me to be invited to
speak to you here today.
It is special moment for me to stand here in
Hiroshima again. Last year I had the honour tovisit this city for the first time. Together with agroup of other young nuclear disarmamentcampaigners from all over the world we listened tothe story of Ms. Toshiko Tanaka, who was 6 years
old
when
the
atomicbomb
wasdropped on Hiroshima, her home town.
Ms.
Tanaka shared that it was never easy for her to go
back to that day and it took many years before she
could even begin to talk about what happened.
Ms. Tanaka was 70 years old when she started
talking. “To re-live the pain and horror is toomuch for anyone to bear… the scars may have
faded away but the bad memories still remain”, she
stated. Then, something happened and when I
think about this moment, this still gives me goosebumps. She stood up with a bag of iron marbles.
We didn’t understand why. She poured hundredsof them in a metal container. For minutes adefining noise filled the room. We had to cover
our ears, but we kept on staring to the fallingmarbles. When the last marble felt into the metal
container, Ms. Tanaka said: “If this is the noise oftiny innocent marbles falling, can you imagine
what one single nuclear weapon can cause? Thisbag of marbles is a symbol for all the nuclear
weapons we still allow to exist in this world today”.
Then I understood what she was doing: this was
her way of protesting against today’s total numberof nuclear weapons in the world.
Like Ms. Tanaka, I cannot believe why we, inthe year 2016, still allow only 9 countries topossess together more than 15,000 nuclear
weapons. These weapons of mass destruction
cannot distinguish between military and civilian
targets. As Hiroshima and Nagasaki had toexperience in one of the greatest tragedy of war,
most of the casualties of a nuclear attack would be
civilians. The disproportionate and indiscriminate
destructiveness of nuclear weapons is a violationof international humanitarian law.
Today I am asked to elaborate on the national
campaigning work of PAX, the organization I
represent. Nuclear weapons are the only weaponsof mass destruction that have not yet beenprohibited by an international treaty, therefore
PAX is working towards a ban on nuclear weapons.
We do so through public campaigning (as proud
member of ICAN, the International Campaign to37parliament and was the driving force of the ban
on cluster munitions, stated that the time has comefor the Dutch government to make a decision:
either the Netherlands are in favour of nuclear
disarmament or they will hold on to nuclear
weapons as long as they exist. A clear majority
in the world want to negotiate a ban. If thegovernment doesn’t take a decision, it will be
isolated in the world.
Several motions were put forward by
parliamentarians during the April debate, and four
received majority support during the voting
session. The most important motion adopted by alarge majority is the motion that calls upon the
Dutch government to actively work on the start ofnegotiations on an international treaty banning
nuclear weapons.
The parliament also
endorsed the proposal to disclose the secret treatieson the basis of which nuclear weapons were placedin the Netherlands. Members of Parliament also
supported the request to use the unwanted
modernization of nuclear weapons in Europe toboost global nuclear disarmament. Lastly, theHouse called upon the Dutch government tocumulatively reject its nuclear task in consultation
with the United States.
Due to the citizen’s initiative nuclear
disarmament is high on the political agenda. Not
only the public, but now also Dutch politicians
have a clear and urgent message for the Dutch
Government: end the Dutch nuclear task and startnegotiations for an international ban treaty.
Unfortunately the Dutch government still
hasn’t take the step we want: call for the start ofnegotiations. However, they can’t deny anymorethat they have to move forward. This year, at theUnited Nations Open-Ended Working Group(OEWG)
onnucleardisarmament,anoverwhelming majority of participating countries
supported the call to start international
negotiations for a treaty banning nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately, during this meeting the Netherlands
did not show their support for the start of thesenegotiations. As has been said at the Parliamentary
debate: if our government doesn’t take a decision
now, it will be isolated from a majority who isready to ban the most destructive weapon in theworld. We have a majority of Dutch citizen’s
calling for a ban on nuclear weapons, we have aparliament calling upon the government to actively
participate in the international negotiations on aban treaty, we have a clear majority of UN
member states calling to start these negotiations,and there is even a proposal for negotiations in theyear 2017 on the table.
States choosing to stall nuclear disarmament
processes are gambling with our families, our lives

and our futures. And I, as a young person, as a
Dutch citizen, European citizen and global citizen,
I urge them not to squander, but use thisopportunity, to move forward and startnegotiations. And to all of you here I would like tosay: thank you for your great efforts anddedication, together we can make a difference, andtogether we can achieve a world without nuclear
weapons.

Yasui Masakazu
Secretary General
Japan Council against A and H Bombs
For Achieving a Treaty to Prohibit
Nuclear Weapons:Role of the A-Bombed Country’s Movement
First, I would like to welcome you allgathering here today -- Hibakusha, overseasdelegates and grass-roots activists from around thecountry.
We in Japan have undergone dramatic changes
since last year’s World Conference. A people’s
movement has grown on an unprecedented scale torepeal the security-related laws, or War Laws,
allowing Japan to use forces in foreign lands andto restore Japanese politics to constitutionalism.
High school and college students, academics,
cultural figures, lawyers, workers and others
spontaneously joined rallies and demonstrations.
Several groups emerged in opposition to the War
Laws, including SEALDs (Students Emergency
Action for Liberal Democracy), the Association of
Scholars Opposed to the Security-related Laws andMothers against War. These movements joined
together to form the Civil Alliance for Peace andConstitutionalism, calling for the government torepeal the War Laws, restore constitutionalism,and defend the dignity of individuals.
In addition, a broad range of labor and otherorganizations launched the All-out Action
Committee to Stop the War and Defend Article 9
and a 20-million signature campaign to scrap War
Laws in all 47 prefectures. They have alreadycollected more than 13 million signatures.
This is the background against which theHouse of Councilors election was held in earlyJuly. The citizens’ movement and four opposition
parties put up their joint candidates in all 32
single-seat constituencies demanding the repeal of
the War Laws and the restoration of
constitutionalism and won in 11 of those
constituencies. In Okinawa, the joint candidate
defeated the incumbent State Minister for Okinawa
Affairs, Shimajiri Aiko, by a large margin of38

100,000 votes. The opposition victories in theseruling party-dominated single-seat constituencies
are very important. If we can further develop thejoint efforts of the citizens’ movement andopposition parties, it is possible to significantly
change the power dynamics in Japan.
We have witnessed similarly important moves
in the field of nuclear disarmament. The inhumannature of nuclear weapons, which the Hibakusha
have constantly emphasized, is now a focus ofdebate in international politics. Voices in favor of
their prohibition and elimination have managed toachieve broader public awareness, and the current
seeking realization of a nuclear weapons-freeworld through legal measures, such as a treaty toprohibit nuclear weapons, is growing. This testifies
to the importance of the role of our movement,
which has called for starting negotiations on a
nuclear weapons convention and submitted morethan 6.3 million signatures to this effect to the
NPT Review Conference of 2015.
Following the resolution adopted in the 70th
U.N. General Assembly Session, the U.N.
Open-ended Working Group met in Geneva inFebruary and May to discuss “legal measures” toprohibit nuclear weapons. It is the first time that areal debate is being held within the framework of
the U.N.
The third session of this Working Group will
start on August 5, where the Chair's summary,
including recommendations to the General
Assembly, will be proposed. In the Working
Group sessions, an overwhelming majority ofStates insisted that, due to risks arising from thehumanitarianconsequencesfrom
nuclear
explosions and the existence of nuclear weapons,
the elimination of nuclear weapons is an urgent
task and that negotiations on the legal prohibitionand elimination of nuclear weapons should becommenced without delay. Substantial discussionis already starting, as seen in the recommendation
made by 10 member states of the nuclear
weapon-free zone treaties, calling to convene a
Conference in 2017 to negotiate a legally-binding
instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons.
As the Former U.N. High Representative
Ambassador Sergio Duarte stated, the forthcoming
Session of the General Assembly could be adecisive watershed for securing the start ofnegotiations on a treaty to prohibit nuclear
weapons.
What is being called into question is theattitude of nuclear-armed and nuclear-dependent
states. So, what about Japan?
While talking about Japan being “the only
A-bombed country in wartime” in the U.N.
General Assembly, the government of Japan

continues its abstention on resolutions for theprohibition of nuclear weapons. In the recent
Open-ended Working Group session, it turned its
back on the start of treaty negotiations on accountof “consideration on security”, shamelessly acting
as a spokesperson of the nuclear-armed states.
What’s more, on July 10, the Washington Post
reported that the Obama Administration wasconsidering changing its nuclear policy, including
the renunciation of the first-use of nuclear
weapons. This was immediately responded to with
the news that the Japanese government sought tohave talks with the U.S., out of the concern that the
U.S. move would undermine the “nuclear umbrella”
provided to Japan.
The use of nuclear weapons would cause
catastrophic consequences that are unacceptablefrom a humanitarian point of view. The surest way
to prevent it would be the abolition of nuclear
weapons. This is a recognition shared by mostcountries in the international community. The
Japanese government’s attitude to keep the nuclear
option is regarded as integral to the Abegovernment’s attempt to turn Japan into a country
that proactively assists in a U.S.-led war by itself
waging war.
The task is for the Japanese peace movement
to force the government to play a befitting role as
the world's only A-bombed country. We aredetermined to enhance our activities across thecountry to change the course of Japan. This
A-bombed country must break away from the“nuclear umbrella” and work to totally ban andeliminate nuclear weapons, based on Article 9 ofits constitution and the anti-nuclear wishes of its
people.
In April this year, the “International Signature
Campaign in Support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha of Hiroshima & Nagasaki for the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Hibakusha
International Signature Campaign)” was initiatedby nine Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
“Earnestly desiring the elimination of nuclear
weapons without delay, we Hibakusha call on all
State Governments to conclude a treaty to ban andeliminate nuclear weapons”, it says, calling forseveral hundred millions of signatures by 2020.
This signature campaign will be decisive forachieving a nuclear weapon-free world,
surrounding and isolating the Japanese government.
It is a crucial campaign to bring down the “nuclear
umbrella” i.e., the nuclear deterrence myth.
We have already received the signature of Ms.
Angela Kane, the Former U.N. High
Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The
International Peace Bureau issued a statement of
its Co-Presidents and Secretary General in support39

of the Hibakusha International Signature
Campaign. The French Peace Movement carried it
on its website and started collecting online
signatures. Just 4 days ago, we had great news
from Vietnam that already 80,000 signatures havebeen collected there.
In Japan, on July 13, a Liaison Committee toPromote the Hibakusha International Signature
Campaign was formed, with the initiative of Nihon
Hidankyo. Not only Gensuikyo but other citizens’organizations that have been historically involved
with the anti-nuclear movement, including the
National Federation of Regional Women’s
Organizations, the Japan Seinendan Council and
the Japan Congress against A and H Bombs. Peace
Boat and the Japan Committee of the World
Conference on Religion and Peace are also taking
part in this platform.
In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, all the Hibakushaorganizations in their respective prefectures got
together for the first time to jointly launch thesignature campaign. Concerted efforts aredeveloping to involve the federation of consumers’
cooperative, Gensuikyo, Gensuikin and othergroups at the prefectural level. In many parts of thecountry, a broader range of joint undertakings
beyond traditional organizational lines is about tolaunch. During the Nationwide Peace March,almost no official figures in prefectural andmunicipal governments refused to give theirsignatures to this Appeal launched by the
Hibakusha. We see a great possibility of making
this signature campaign a truly national
undertaking.
I would like to conclude my remarks byexpressing my determination to build on the
success of this Conference and drastically expand
the “Hibakusha International Signature Campaign”
to open a new path for the development of
nationwide joint efforts and the movement against
A and H Bombs.

Statements:
Ogata Yasuo
Committee of Chairpersons, Organizing
Committee of World Conference/
Japanese Communist Party
February 22nd, 2016 was a historic day. It was
the first day of the first session of the U.N.
Open-ended Working group on nuclear
disarmament (OEWG) which is looking into thelegal steps needed for the elimination of nuclear
weapons. In a conference room of the U.N Officeat Geneva, the voice of Toshiki Fujimori, Assistant
Secretary General of the Japan Confederation of
A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations washeard saying, “The only assurance against the riskof using nuclear weapons is the total elimination of
nuclear weapons.” Following him, on May 4th,
Masako Wada, another Assistant Secretary
General of the Confederation, said, “I call on every
state to conclude a treaty which bans andeliminates nuclear weapons.” Her appeal was
welcomed with a resounding round of applause.
The OEWG which was set up by a U.N.
resolution adopted in December 2015 is aimed to“substantively address concrete effective legal
measures, legal provisions and norms that willneed to be concluded to attain and maintain aworld without nuclear weapons.” Appeals made by
Mr. Fujimori and Ms. Wada there symbolized the
new heights of achievements reached byanti-nuclear-weapon movements organized byNGOs and efforts made by governments aroundthe world.
Through the international conferences on theinhumane nature of nuclear weapons which were
held three times and the 2015 NPT Review
Conference, the majority opinion can besummarized in one sentence: the international
community must take legal steps as “effective
measures” required by Article VI of the NPT
based on deep recognition of the inhumane natureof nuclear weapons. Although the 2015 RevCon
failed to adopt its final documents because of
disagreement over the issue of the creation of a
WMD-Free Zone in the Middle East, the draft of
the final documents reflected the majority opinion
to a large degree.
These achievements follow the direction ofprogress that this world conference has long beencalling on the world to make. At last, we areseeing the formal beginning of U.N.-leddiscussions towards creation of a treaty toeliminate nuclear weapons. What underliesinternational cooperation and efforts in this regard
is the deep awareness of “the inhumane nature of40

nuclear weapons” which the tragedies ofHiroshima and Nagasaki revealed. Contributions
to this newly raised awareness made by this worldconference and the testimonies of individual
A-bomb sufferers cannot be overstated. The
OEWG will submit a report to the U.N. General
Assembly this fall.
The political battle map over the issue of
elimination of nuclear weapons has become
increasingly clearer. 70% of all NPT member
states stand for efforts to create a legal framework
aiming for the ban and elimination of nuclear
weapons by emphasizing the inhumane nature of
the weapons. On the other hand, the Permanent
Five (P-5) member states which have an exclusive“right” to possess nuclear weapons, namely China,
France, Russia, the U.K, and the U.S., are working
together to block and suppress the global effort
towards elimination of the weapons.
The P-5 states opposed the establishment of the
OEWG under the U.N. authority. They argue, “[A]step-by-step approach is the only practical option
for making progress towards nuclear disarmament”.
They also insist, “[A]ddressing further prospects
for nuclear disarmament would require taking into
account all factors that could affect global strategic
stability.” This kind of argument means that they
just want to postpone the total elimination of
nuclear weapons to an indefinite future. In practice,they are against the total abolishment of nuclear
weapons.
The P-5 states, which have become very active
and unified as a group under the NPT regime since2009,
intimidates
governments
andanti-nuclear-weapon movements supporting thecause of the OEWG by saying, “[A] ban without
thesupportandparticipationofthenuclear-weapon states would not eliminate nuclear
weapons, but would rather undermine the NPT
regime.”Visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to deepen
the recognition of the inhumane nature of nuclear
weapons are of special importance. This is why thevisit by U.S president Barak Obama to Hiroshima
was welcomed. Yet, some strongly oppose visits toHiroshima and Nagasaki by world political leaders
because they believe Japan was the wartime
aggressor and should not be treated as if it were avictim. However, those who lost their lives in theatomic bombings were neither aggressors nor
militarist rulers. They were ordinary unarmed
civilian men, women and children. Because the useof atomic bombs was unprecedented catastrophe inhuman history, I believe that it is of great
importance for us to urge world leaders to visit
Hiroshima and Nagasaki and to ask them to pledge
not to allow such catastrophic mistakes to ever be

repeated.
The Japanese government abstained fromvoting for the establishment of the OEWG, butattended the sessions. However, the government
just spoke on behalf of the P-5 states and argued
that “[T]o attain real progress in nuclear
disarmament, it is essential to ensure the unitedactions of the entire community, including thenuclear-weapon states.” It also stated, “[We need]a focus on not just humanitarian but also security
considerations.” It advocates an “incremental
approach to nuclear disarmament” which is basedon the P-5’s “step-by-step approach” and plays therole of blocking constructive discussions at theOEWG. Japan is now acting as if it were the“Trojan Horse” fielded by the P-5 states and isstrongly criticized for the shameful role it isplaying. We need to politically challenge theJapanese government role with much morecriticism to force it to change its stance.
The new security legislation which the Abegovernment and its ruling coalition enacted bydestroying Japan’s constitutionalism could leadJapan to even more dependence on the supposed“nuclear umbrella” of the U.S. The Abeadministration even argues that Japan’s possessionof nuclear weapons would not be unconstitutional.
This is a very dangerous argument.
In order to make progress towards the totalelimination of nuclear weapons by overcoming
these hostile obstructions, we must increase more
rapidly and strongly public support for a treaty toban and eliminate nuclear weapons by strenuously
conducting international signature campaigns
initiated by the Hidankyo and this conference. The
need for a strongly invigorated campaign with full
public support is especially significant. I renew mycommitment to this cause and call on everyone
concerned to work together to achieve our aim..

Yoneyama Atsuko
Vice President
New Japan Women’s Association(Shinfujin)
71 years have passed since the atomic bombing
and the end of the war, in Japan and world over,
women and citizens are uniting and strengthening
solidarity in their demands and in the movement.
Rejecting to live in a society where people livewith fear of terrorism, war and poverty, they callfor a nuclear-free, peaceful and just society where
people respect each other and are living inharmony.
Over the year, the growing civil movement has
driven the Abe government’s high-handed reckless41

politics into corner, offering perspectives forchange.
First, the struggle to scrap the war legislationthat mounted on an unprecedented scale brought
citizens and opposition parties together to form a
coalition. The power of making this possible gave
many of us hope that “we can make a difference inpolitics,” leading to the putting up of unified
candidates in the House of Councilors and in theTokyo Gubernatorial election last July. The New
Japan Women’s Association (Shinfujin) made an
overall effort for the victory of these candidates
with a call: “Vote for Change!” In the Tokyo
Gubernatorial election, we supported opposition
parties’ joint candidate, who upheld campaign
pledges of abolition of nuclear weapons, nonuclear power plants and nuclear-free declared
Tokyo, running against the “pro-nuclear armed
Tokyo” candidate backed up entirely by the rulingcoalition government under Prime Minister Abe
Shinzo. Being afraid of the unity of citizens andopposition parties growing like never before, theAbe government has launched a full-scale attack
against them, mobilizing the media.
Second, people and women, who are sufferingfrom the effect of Abe government’s attempt tomake Japan a “war-waging” and to pursue
neo-liberal policies, have started to raise their
voices and organize themselves. In particular, as
poverty is increasing among women, many womenare now speaking out, saying, “My child wasdenied admission to a day care center,” “Mycompany is black (sweatshop),” “My pension
benefits are decreasing,” “My wish is to defend
peace,” or “Tax should be used for people’s living.”
Becoming aware that their demands are political,
more women are joining the struggle to change
politics, creating a major trend in society.
All these developments also provide a brightvision to the movement for the abolition of nuclear
weapons. The International Signature Campaign in
Support of the “Appeal of the Hibakusha for the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons” is now gaining
support from a wide-ranging organizations andindividuals, and cooperation of historic importanceis now developing in the promotion of thecampaign.
Taking the Hibakusha’s appeal to their hearts,
Shinfujin members start from reading out thepetition text together and take to street to collectsignatures using the catchwords, “Together with
the Hibakusha” and “Together with the Next
Generation.” We set the target of collecting 2
million signatures.
Shinfujin has been trying hard to send as many
young members as possible to this World
Conference. In Kyoto, Shinfujin members held agathering for young generation to hear the stories
of Hibakusha and then organized a street drive forcollecting signatures with the Hibakusha. Inspiredby these experiences, young members became
eager to come to Hiroshima to learn what they cando, and to be able to speak to others about the
Hibakusha’s suffering and about nuclear weapons.
9 young members decided to attend the World
Conference in Hiroshima with their children. In
Miyagi Prefecture, members in their thirties raisingchildren are visiting Shinfujin’s parent-kid
rhythmic exercises circles in different communities
with A-bomb photo panels to hold “Young
Members Gathering for Peace,” where they learn
and talk together. Through these initiatives, young
members have decided to join the World
Conference with children, hoping that they canlearn the way to carry on the peace movement thesenior members have fostered.
The women’s movement in Japan has been
striving to preserve war-renouncing Article 9 andto eliminate nuclear weapons together with the
Hibakusha. The struggle for abolishing nuclear
weapons is the one to defend people’s dignity. And
this struggle is deeply linked with the endeavor to
defend our livelihood. Shinfujin is resolved todevelop further the movement to achieve apeaceful world without nuclear weapons, poverty
or inequality, upholding the banner: “We are theone to change politics.”

Roland Gardien
President, French Peace Committee/
French Peace Movement
FranceFirst of all, let me thank our friends of the
Gensuikyo for inviting our delegation to thisinternational meeting - once again. This is my firstparticipation and my emotion is great. All thesemeetings with each of you strengthen our
determination to act toward eliminating nuclear
weapons and building a world free from the atomic
threat.
In 2005, our peace movement organized a largedelegation composed of 130 people including
many young people. Since then, we have decided
to organize delegations each year. Numbers willvary a great deal, but each time, back in their local
Committee each delegate is better able to explain
and to develop actions for the elimination of
nuclear weapons. I think that the Japanese peacecommittees hold similar views when they
participate in events related to the NPT.
As citizens of a nuclear power, we have a
special responsibility. However, it is not so easy42

because the subject is not in the public debate inFrance.
In recent months, France was brutally attacked
by terrorists. Then François Hollande spoke of war
against terrorism and deployed a nuclear
submarine as well as its aircraft carrier Charles deGaulle in the Mediterranean. We believe this is areal provocation at a time when the international
community is facing the risk of proliferation.
How much longer will France and othernuclear powers continue to flout international law
with impunity? How can these States be credible
to all countries of the threshold, i.e. who have thetechnical capabilities to develop atomic weapons?
How can they call for disarmament while notrespecting their commitments?
In June, an official document called "white
paper of defense and security" was published, toserve as support for the French official doctrine. It
confirms that the exclusively military concept of
security in France is still there, even more so after
the terrorist attacks. What the national andinternational press retained was that France will
not reduce its military capabilities. In the "white
paper", nuclear deterrence remains the basis of theFrench doctrine. But there is no such thing as
deterrence. Weapons are bound to be used sooner
or later. The world is not safe from nuclear disaster.
On the contrary, the danger has increased.
Unfortunately, France’s plans are not heading
towards disarmament. It is true that the France has
made great efforts after the end of the tests at
Mururoa. This was true in the years 1996-1997,
but this is no longer the case today. For 20 years,
France has been modernizing its facilities withnew missiles, new submarines, new nuclear
warheads, a whole program of test simulation. The
French policy is to reduce the number of military
personnel for the benefit of information materials
and targeted intervention of troops.
We demand the French government that theysuspend the M51 missile program whose reach isapproaching 10,000 km, which is the ability toreach China. We ask them to comply with thecommitments of the NPT, and in particular article
6, and that they support the type of convention for
the elimination of nuclear weapons submitted to
the United Nations.
This is the objective pursued by our Movement
for Peace, which supports and develops actions infavor of the international campaign «ICAN» in
France. Many partners of our social movements
are now acting toward nuclear disarmament.
However we believe that we are only at the
beginning of this new mobilization. We need awide rally of forces to get our Government tochange its policy and choose the path of nuclear

disarmament. For example, we constantly ask fromthe French government that they support the model
convention for the elimination of nuclear weaponsof the United Nations. We plan to develop manyother actions from now to the review conference in
2020. All thru this year’s electoral campaign, thelocal committees of the peace movement haveaddressed all candidates to invite them to join the"mayors for peace" network. In the same way, forseveral months, the Movement for Peace has beenbringing its full support to the creation of a new
branch of the PNND (the network ofparliamentarians for nuclear non-proliferation anddisarmament) in France.
The idea of an international action was
suggested again, in the form of a flame ofdisarmament which would tour the world, much inthe same way as the Olympic flame. This could
start in New York, to return in 2020, on theoccasion of the review conference. This action
must be achieved in partnership with the «ICAN»
campaign. We believe that an international
campaign with a common objective is likely togive people confidence in their ability to reach ourgoal. We hope that this campaign will expand
worldwide to achieve the elimination of nuclear
weapons. The nuclear powers must understand that
their arrogance is no longer acceptable. The trip to
Hiroshima the President of the United States ofAmerica, Barack Obama, was a good thing.
However concrete action must follow. And we callon all the heads of State of NWS (nuclear weapon
States) to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki and takeconcrete action.
As you know, France has decided to wage
armed conflict with the Islamic State, and shows
great willingness to reintegrate into NATO'smilitary command. For several months, our peace
movement has developed actions to oppose thesetwo projects. A few months ago, Barack Obamainsisted that European countries, including France,increase significantly its budget allocated todefense. Is the European Union ready to accept thedomination of the United States or do we want anactive European Union for peace anddisarmament? The future of Europe is without
nuclear weapons. Our continent must become a
new nuclear-free zone. We also need to get rid of
US nuclear weapons present in the bases of NATOin Europe. Europe has no need for nuclear
weapons, either French or British, or NATO’s.
We think the two tragedies of Hiroshima andNagasaki were really abominable crimes in that thekilling, not of soldiers, but of thousands ofinnocent men, women, children, and babies wasuseless, deliberate and premeditated. And yet there
may be even worse to come. The greatest crime of43

movements in different countries for a world freefrom nuclear and other weapons of mass
destructions.
But,
despitesuch
efforts,
lethal weapons are still being developed, tested,
produced,used
andproliferatedbymany governments. In addition, increasing militaryspendings, expanding military bases, terrorism,and growing tensions resulting from sovereignty
disputes over sea and land between nations are
threatening peace, security and stability in theregion and heavily impacting people’s life.
In such a context, I highly appreciate
Gensuikyo’s efforts to hold annually the World
Conference against A and H Bombs since 1955. I
am strongly confident that the Conference willcontinue to be a platform for peace organizations
and activists around the world to unite and struggle
for a peaceful world without nuclear and all otherweapons of mass destruction, where all conflicts
and disputes are settled peacefully in accordancewith international law.
The Vietnam Peace Committee has joined
hands with peace workers throughout the globe in
the struggle for a peaceful world. In response to
the International Signature Campaign for the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we havecollected millions of signatures from people’sorganizations across the country in several recent
years. And this year we participated in thesignature campaign in support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha. So far we got over 80 thousand
signatures in two months.
Once more, I would like to thank you forgiving me the chance to speak at one of theworld’s largest peace conferences, a significant
experience for a member of the younger
generation.
May I wish for a successful conference, for abeautiful world free from nuclear weapons, and forthe good health and happiness of all of you here
present. No more Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki!
No more Agent Orange/dioxin! Justice for
Hibakushas! Justice for Vietnamese Agent
Orange/dioxin victims!

them all, the greatest folly of them all, is toconsider the killing of billions as an option, andthe crime begins in the preparation andmodernization of tools to reach this insane goal.
To speak in religious terms, it is the greatest sin of
all, to work toward the destruction of God’s
creation and design. Another of those crimes is toteach children and weak-minded adults that great
achievements can only be made through violence,and not through negotiations and understanding.
And so to conclude, I would like to emphasize
again that, contrary to the common saying, "If you
want peace, you must prepare for peace not war”
and “If you prepare for war, you'll get war.”
Claiming the abolition of nuclear weapons may be
regarded as a utopia but this is the only credible
way. We have a duty to make this credible utopia
become reality so as to ensure future generations
the right to live. For this we need a convention for
the elimination of nuclear weapons and we need todevelop the unity of pacifist movements aroundthe world to achieve this.
No Hiroshima, ever again, No Nagasaki, everagain, no Hibakusha, ever again, and let us
eliminate nuclear weapons once and for all.

Bui Lien Huong
Executive Secretary
Vietnam Peace Committee
VietnamIt’s my honor to attend the World Conference
against A and H Bombs for the 2nd time. Also I
am very happy to see old friends again and meet
new ones. I would like to convey to all of you thewarmest greetings and best wishes from theVietnam Peace Committee and the millions ofVietnamese working for peace and friendship.
I would like in particular to extend ourcongratulations to the Japan Council against A and
H Bombs (GENSUIKYO) on its 71st foundation
anniversary, and our profound thanks to all
Japanese friends for their enormous efforts inorganizing this Conference, and for the heartfelt
hospitality
providedtooverseas
participants, including us Vietnamese.
Friends,
Although 71 years have passed since theatomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
hundreds of thousands of Japanese are still
suffering from never-ending pains. The situation issimilar in Vietnam, where, millions of victims ofAgent Orange, including those of the 2nd, 3rd andeven 4th generations, are still living in agony.
We are aware that great efforts have been madeby governments, people’s organizations and peace

Raymond Vincent Lujan
Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice/
International Youth Relay Marcher 2016
Guam
Hafa adai! My name is Raymond Lujan, aCHamoru, and I’m a senior at the University of
Guam majoring in social work and minoring in
Chamorro Studies. I am humbled and honored torepresent the Guahan Coalition for peace andJustice.
44What drew me to social work is the same force
that has drawn me to participate as a peacemarcher this June, of which I am extremely
honored and appreciative for. Since a young age I
had always known I wanted to help people;
however, I was unsure of the platform and mediumof doing so. I realized a little while ago that I amvery much inspired by social injustice.
With that being said, Guam and Micronesia asa whole, are no strangers to militarization, war andnuclear weapons. Growing up, I was very muchaware of Guam’s role in the Second World War
and the injustices the CHamoru people faced;however, it wasn’t until I began to develop an
independent mind that I began to see how much ofwhat I was aware of was purposefully perpetuatedfrom a particular perspective. I find myself in avery unique position. I am CHamoru whose home
is an American territory, but I will be afforded theopportunity to see the damage and effects from theperspective of the Japanese people, of whom has
been conveniently left out of my history teachings.
Upon learning how the land of the CHamoru
people was instrumental and used nonconsensuallyto the U.S. dropping of atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I would like to extend
my deepest and sincerest apologies to the peopleof Japan. The Peace March is not only a necessary
tool of solace for the Japanese people, but also
serves as a reminder to the world of the atrocities
and insidiousness of nuclear weapons. Through theabolition of nuclear weapons, we could move froma space in which international boundaries are set
through militarization and perpetuating fear ofannihilation to one that involves diplomacy,

communication and respect for all of the world’s
people. It is through this that the world may know
peace.
Guam’s tumultuous history has been one thatknows death, blood and oppression all too well.
The CHamoru people have long been casualties of
war with many failing to recognize it. We were,after all, acquired by war with the sole purpose of
strategic geo-political placement in the case of
future war, while simultaneously led unto believe
we are a part of a nation founded upon freedom
and will. It is because of our ‘purpose’ formilitarization that our administering power has
made decolonization extremely difficult andcomplex. And I genuinely believe that failing todecolonize makes Guam an accomplice to the
U.S.’s war.
I am not only eager to stand in solidarity with
the Japanese peace marchers, but I am just as eager
to learn more of the history and experiences of
those affected and those who continue to beaffected of the bombing of Hiroshima andNagasaki. As much as I empathize for those whohave died and those who have survived, myempathies do not and will never truly andgenuinely encapsulate the struggles andexperiences faced by the Japanese people. There
has been much debate on whether the bombs were‘necessary’ or not, but regardless of those debates
the use of nuclear bombs is never justifiable. It is
for those reasons that I stand and march insolidarity with Japan, Guam and the world to work
for a future world of peace; no wars and no nuclear
weapons.

45

Plenary Session III:
Working Together for a World without Nuclear Weapons; Overcoming
Nuclear Deterrence Doctrine; Peaceful Settlement of Conflicts; End to
Nuclear Power Plants; Safe and Secure Life and Environment(August 3)
conclude by suggesting some ways that you, too,can shape American policies.
Influencing the U.S. government is about
political power. Political power is the ability toaffect elections. You can affect elections byinfluencing voters. If you have many voters as
supporters of your organization, then you can use
them to impact lawmakers.
You can also
influence voters via the media which I will discusslater.
Grassroots are everyday people that care about
an issue and are willing to take actions including
giving money.
Peace Action’s grassroots
represents about 150-200,000 people.
Our grassroots have the ability to showlawmakers that many voters want action on nuclear
abolition.
We hold lobby meetings withMembers of Congress to discuss nuclear weaponsand other issues. In these meetings, we bringinfluential members of society from their district orstate. People who have the ability to influence
the actions of voters or political contributions.
People like business leaders, religious leaders andcivic leaders. These lobby visits are meant toshow that voters expect action from lawmakers.
As another grassroots effort, we generate as
many constituent contacts as possible so thatelected officials feel that many voters care about
nuclear weapons issues. We do this by generating
calls, emails, letters and questions at public events.
Politicians assume that for every letter or contact
they receive; several hundred voters feel the same
way but won’t bother to contact them.
Additionally, the media can influence voters,
public opinion and policy makers. Our grassroots
can generate letters to the editor which are read bypoliticians and considered a way to measure thepulse of the electorate. Also, the grassroots canhold protests, rallies and events that garnerfavorable media coverage. The grassroots can beused to raise money to purchase advertising suchas TV and radio commercials and newspaper ads
that will sway voters. Lastly, the strength of ourgrassroots lends us name recognition allowing our
experts to publish opinion editorials that can
impact the electorate and policy makers.

Introductory Reports:
Paul Kawika Martin
Senior Director, Policy and Political
Affairs, Peace Action
U.S.A.
Peace Action’s Use of Grassroots for Peace andNuclear Abolition
Let me first thank everyone at Gensuikyo foryour invitation and hospitality. I am honored tobe here for my fifth trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki
and on behalf of many American brother andsisters, we want to show our gratitude for yourimportant work towards nuclear weapons abolitionand peace. Additionally, I would like to give
special appreciation to the Hibakusha. You play
an immeasurable role reminding humanity of thehorrors of nuclear weapons. I feel inspired that
despite what the U.S. Government did to you, youcontinue to strive for peace.
Second, I want to apologize that myGovernment dropped immoral nuclear weapons on
this country.
On behalf of Peace Action’s
150,000 supporters and the more than 80% of
Americans who believe we should abolish nuclear
weapons, we apologize for the horrors caused tothe people of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Japan.
As you know, I am the senior director forpolicy and political affairs for Peace Action.
Peace Action is the United States’ largest peaceand disarmament organization with 100 chaptersnationwide.
Our current campaigns include
bringing our troops home from Afghanistan,non-military solutions to the conflicts in Syria, Iraq
and with ISIS, urging diplomacy with Iran andsupporting the nuclear agreement reached by the
P5+1, supporting a Middle East Nuclear Weapons
Free Zone, reducing the U.S. military budget andlastly, the issue we were founded on nearly sixty
years ago, abolishing nuclear weapons.
In this talk, I will explain how my organization
uses the grassroots to influence the U.S.
Government towards nuclear abolition. I will46

Our grassroots can affect elections.
Bymaking sure they vote, volunteer and give money
to the right candidates, we can elect Members ofCongress and Presidents who are more likely towork on nuclear disarmament. Also, by asking
questions and briefing candidates we can not only
affect election outcomes but what issues aredebated and discussed.
While our grassroots hold a certain amount ofpolitical power.
Joining them with otherorganizations and movements in a coalition
working together strategically can wield significant
political power to leverage Congress, theAdministration or both to take action.
For example, the Peace and Planet Network,
which we helped form with our friend Joseph
Gerson of American Friends Service Committee(AFSC), organized the international mobilizationon the eve of the 2015 NPT Review Conference.
Another example is our Move the Money
campaign that works with a coalition of groups toreduce Pentagon spending including nuclear
weapons. These groups are not only peace anddisarmament organizations but human needs
groups that realize that we cannot afford to spend$1 trillion dollars on nuclear weapons over the next
30 years and have sufficient funds for the poor, job
creation and environmental needs.
Obviously, the grassroots represent politicalpower and we continually work to increase thispower by growing our membership and supporters.
By increasing our grassroots, we can increase ourbudget, our staff, and funds for advertisements andto give to candidates. This increases our ability tochange nuclear weapons policy.
Let me provide you with the example ofPresident Obama’s visit to Hiroshima. Since hetook office we have been pressuring theAdministration on nuclear weapons issues. We
worked with them to get the New START Treaty
negotiated and ratified. Before he made his
decision to come, we wrote opinion editorials andhad our grassroots write letters to the editor, send
thousands of emails and signed thousands ofpetitions. Additionally, we pressured Congress to
support his decision and urge him privately andpublically to come to Hiroshima. Finally, we met
with the White House delivering several boxes ofpetitions and providing advice about why it was
important to visit Hiroshima and meet with
Hibakusha. This was a culmination of years ofpressure and concerted, coalition efforts directed at
the U.S. Government. It was a victory. And
while we wanted the President to mention someconcrete next steps during his visit, it is clear hewill likely announce something soon.

You don’t have to be in the U.S. to change
American policy. You, too, can affect U.S. policy
makers in three ways: via the media, government
to government communication and support of U.S.
NGOs. I encourage your leaders to write lettersto the editors or submit opinion editorials on
nuclear weapons issues to major U.S. newspapers
like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
I encourage you to pressure your government tocontact our government on these issues.
Especially right now as Obama reconsiders no firstuse policy.
These communications can beadministration to administration or Diet toCongress. Lastly, I would humbly request you
support U.S. NGOs who work on nuclear weapon
issues. Almost all of them do not get any
governmental funding and their size is muchsmaller than other advocacy organizations likeenvironmental, labor or human rights.
For
example, our budget is around $4 million whereas
the Humane Society, the largest animal welfareorganization in the states has a budget of $130
million. You can support by sending staff,
volunteers or interns to work with groups in the
Unites States or by supporting financially.
As you can see, the grassroots work that weand you do will ultimately bring us to our goals.
And, we will be able to get there quicker incollaboration.
So again, I want to thank you for the continued
friendship between Gensuikyo and Peace Action
and know that our work together will one day bringabout a world free of nuclear weapons. We needto continue our dialogue together. Please stay intouch with me through Twitter. My Twitter
handle is @PaulKawika. Because as the Kenyan
proverb wisely points out, “sticks in a bundle areunbreakable.”Park Jung Eun
Deputy Secretary General, People’s
Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
Republic of Korea
A vicious circle of the security dilemma:
Nuclear Threats and MD introduction on the
Korean Peninsula
71 years ago, the atomic bombs dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki brought catastrophic
humanitarian consequences, not only to theJapanese people, but also around 70,000 Korean
workers who had been forcibly taken to Japan. As
a result of the Cold War, the Korean 3eninsula wasdivided and finally torn apart by the Korean War.
Under the unstable armistice system, the Korean
47

Japan last December. They said it’s “final andirreversible” resolution. But the agreement hardly
reflected the wishes of the victims, nor did theprocess involve any participation by the victims.
It’s a measure of removing an obstacle forstrengthening military cooperation between
ROK-Japan and US.
The second is that last February the South
Korean government announced the closure of
Kaesong Industrial Complex, citing North Korea’s
4th nuclear test and launching of a long-range
rocket as reasons. The government argues thatapproximately 120 million USD paid to theworkers at Kaesong Industrial Complex has beenused in development of nuclear weapons andmissiles without any grounds.
The Third, last month the South Korean
government and the US announced that they would
deploy THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area
Defense System) to South Korea in Seongju, North
Gyeongsang Province. The South Korean
government, behind the curtains, decided to follow
the request of the US. But there is no such an“adequate” location to place THAAD in ourcountry.
There are many reasons the decision of South
Korea and the US to place THAAD in Seongju
must be rescinded. THAAD is not a weaponssystem for the residents of the Korean Peninsula.
THAAD is essentially a part of the US Missile
Defense System (MD). Deployment of THAAD to
South Korea signifies that South Korea will besucked into the US-Japan MD, which targets not
only North Korea but also China and that the
Korea-US-Japan military cooperation system will
become official. MD is an aggressive weaponssystem which aims to incapacitate the missile
attacks of the countries against the US and enable
the US to launch missiles whenever they want to.
The detectable range of the radar on THAAD
theoretically reaches at most a few thousand
kilometers. It’s the US military that will be running
THAAD in Korea.
THAAD deployment is militarily anddiplomatically a self-destructive measure. It is
obvious that this will also negatively affect theinternational cooperation to solve the nuclear
problem in the Korean Peninsula. This is why
THAAD can never be a tool to protect the safety ofSouth Korean citizens and peace in the Korean
Peninsula. The decision to place THAAD is the“real danger,” which brings threats and conflicts.
The non-democratic and non-transparent
decision process is also problematic. Before
announcing THAAD deployment, there were notany discussions, and any evaluations of its use,
effects, and military/diplomatic significance. The

3eninsula has become the powder keg of East Asia,with the world’s most concentrated accumulationof weapons, including nuclear weapons. The fearof nuclear war continues.
An unrealistic resolution like hostility andcontainment ended in Failure.
This year, the North has carried out its fourth
nuclear tests. North Korea clearly expressed its
will to keep the regime with human extinction
weapons. It is very sad and miserable that North
Korea relies on threatening not only the Korean
Peninsula but also international society. No state
has the right to possess and test such inhuman andmass destructive weapons. As seen in the nuclear
history, its development in the name of nuclear
deterrence simply has accelerated nuclear race andendangered the peace and security of human race.
Without exception, nuclear tests of North Korea
put the region in jeopardy.
The nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula has
been aggravated because of accumulated distrust
between the US and North Korea, North Korea andSouth Korea, and neighboring countries and North
Korea. The hostile US policies against North
Korea, such as pressure and containment, thereinforced nuclear umbrella for South Korea andconventional weapons have proved ineffective inthe effort to resolve North Korean nuclear issues.
The South Korean government has failed tosuggest a realistic measure to stop it. It has insisted
that hostile disregard, sanctions and oppressions
could deter but they haven’t worked out.
The history of North Korea's nuclear program
demonstrates that when dialogue and negotiations
were pursued, Pyeongyang suspended its nuclear
program. The reverse was the case when the North
saw itself as the target of pressure in the name of“hostile neglect” or “strategic patience.” In thoseconditions North Korea intensified its nuclear
program activities and developed long-range
missile capabilities. The situation has become
worse whenever the policy has been to halt
dialogue, in the vain hope that regime collapse ortransition was imminent. Demanding North
Korea’s dismantling its nuclear program as aprerequisite to any dialogue, automaticallyperpetuates the long-standing deadlock. This
attitude does nothing to help solve problems.
Moreover, the already-dangerous situation in
the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia is
becoming even more unpredictable.
There were series of shocking agreement andmeasures by the South Korean government.
The first is an agreement regarding sexual
slaves for Japanese soldiers between the South and48

South Korean government skipped all theseprocedures and controlled all information. There
was not enough discussion even withingovernment. The South Korean national assembly
never received any substantial reports. In the caseof Seongju, which was decided as the location for
THAAD deployment, the residents were only
notified by news without any explanation. They
were not notified of the negative effects on theenvironment surrounding the THAAD base andradar.
But the government is insisting that this does
not require the agreement of the National
Assembly. THAAD deployment is directly related
to the lives and the safety of South Korean citizens
and will influence the friendly cooperative
relationship with neighboring countries. It may
also cost an astronomical amount of money.
Therefore, this matter cannot be solely decided by
the administrative body. It needs the agreement of
the National Assembly and they must stop the
one-sided push of THAAD deployment.

from North Korea, will intensify the alreadyextreme military tension and accelerate the vicious
cycle of the regional arms race. Key elements increating an East Asian peace and cooperation
system are the preservation of Japan's peaceconstitution and the conclusion of a Korean
Peninsula peace treaty.
We, Korean people don’t want Korean
Peninsula to be a powder keg competing hegemony
and arms race. We hope the Korean Peninsula willtransform as the stepping stone of Northeast Asianpeace and cooperation.
For this, we are going to form solidarity tofacilitate the reconciliation and the cooperation of
North and South Koreas and to form a peacefulsystem. We are going to actively spread civil
resistance and actions for the withdrawal of thedecision to place THAAD and for peace in the
Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. We aregoing to form solidarity to prevent Seongju frombecoming another victim of state violence, like
Pyeongtaek Deachuri or Jeju Gangjeong village.
Above all, we believe that it’s time to challenge
and stop militarism which has been supported andjustified in the name of national security. It only
brings another military posture and development of
fatal weapons. It only sacrifices the citizen’s safety
and other social investment. It only satisfies thedefense industry. Those are truth that we havelearned from the conflicts so long time. It’s time tostop repeating such stupid policies and start todiscuss socially and globally how to overcome
militarism we’re facing now.

Facing the serious situation of nuclear threats
and THAAD deployment, we need to discussand apply new perspectives and methods even if
it is difficult.
We have declared and proposed a fundamental
and comprehensive resolution of military tensions
and the nuclear crisis around the Korean Peninsula.
It’s a transition from the current armistice system
to a peace system on the Korean Peninsula.
The first step is to start talks among the statesconcerned to conclude a peace treaty and to startbilateral talks to normalize relations between North
Korea and the US, and between North Korea andJapan, based on six-party agreement on a jointstatement.
Second, we should go beyond Korean
denuclearization and seek a more comprehensive
solution that would definitively eliminate all the
nuclear threats facing Northeast Asian countries.
Resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis is
not an end in itself, but a necessary component ofdealing with the Northeast Asian and global
nuclear crises. The most effective way to eliminate
nuclear threats on the Korean Peninsula and in thelarger Northeast Asian region is to establish a
nuclear-free zone in Northeast Asia, not only on
the Korean Peninsula.
Third, we should make an effort in order tochange the various disputes and military conflicts
on the Korean Peninsula into reciprocal,
cooperative relationships. Allowing Japan toexercise its right to collective self-defense, andreinforcing US-Japan-ROK military cooperation
using the justification of nuclear and missile threats

Jordi Calvo Rufanges
Board Member, International Peace
Bureau/ Centre Delàs for Peace Studies,
Spain
Move from Nuclear Security Unitary Thoughtto Human Security
Dear friends and colleagues, I’m delighted to behere in the World Conference against A and H
Bombs. Thanks to Gensuikyo and Hibakushas fortheir visit to Spain last year, spreading the neededvoice of nuclear disarmament in a country without
nuclear weapons but supporting its military allies
from NATO and their positions in favor of what
we can call nuclear security unitary thought, a very
dangerous and risky paradigm for the World
Security.
I will divide my intervention in three main
points: what nuclear security unitary thoughtmeans, differences between military security and49human security and the IPB
disarmament for development.

proposalof

based in the existence of the enemy. Threats are
created by enemies and we need to defeat them.
How? Attacking, bombing, fighting. Is the “an eye
for an eye” strategy. If we continue like this, as
Gandhi said: we’ll finish all blind.
Security and defense doctrines in the entire
world consider as threats to our security: terrorism,
economic volatility, climate change, energy
insecurity, cyber security, organized crime andmany others related to internal security. Because
we need to remind that being attack by anotherstate has become unlikely for most of the countries
in the world.
But in fact, the threats to our security are rather
those from the UN definition of Human Security,that is based on Economic security (poverty,
unemployment…); Food security (hunger,
famine…); Health security (diseases, malnutrition,lack of access to health care…); Environmental
security (natural disasters, pollution…); Personal
security (physical violence, crime, domestic
violence, child labor…); Community security(religious and ethnic tensions…); and Politicalsecurity (repression, human rights abuses…).
The best deterrence doctrine is the one thateliminates and reduce real threats to our security as
a whole, to Human Security.
Reducing threats to our security means
reducing and abolishing nuclear weapons. Because
they are a real threat to our security for different
reasons:- Likely to be used by irresponsible
governments or armed groups- Accident on their facilities- Pollution during thousands of years- Attacked by terrorist groups
Last three are also applicable to nuclear plants
as you sadly know very well.

Nuclear security unitary thought
Unitary thought is a concept related to the fallof Berlin Wall, on 1989, when the disintegration of
USSR gave as a political result a new trend basedin Fukuyama’s End of History. He proposed that
capitalism has not alternative once communism felt
down. Thus it was only one alternative, getting
deeper in capitalist system, through globalization
on its neoliberal aspect. In fact this is the current
situation of economy, based in this Unitary thought,
without alternative. My analysis is not related toeconomy but to peace and security.
Regarding Security and Defense, there isanother Unitary Thought which is not coming fromthe fall of Berlin Wall but long before. It’s widely
spread the idea that more security is equal to moresecurity forces, more arms; therefore more security
means more armies with more weapons, and very
often it means more bombing and military fighting.
This doctrine of security and defense is what ishegemonic nowadays, mainly after 11-S. His
approach is based on War on Terror of George W.
Bush trying to fight Al Qaeda first and ISIS now
under the false assumption of preemptive war. The
result is well known by all of you: more terrorism,
more insecurity than the day after 11-S.
Security doctrine since 11-S and long before isa militaristic security and defense policy that we
can call Unitary Security Thought. Related tonuclear weapons this Unitary Security Thought
prioritizes nuclear deterrence as one of the main
strategies for security in the world, and for the
nuclear weapon-possessing states.
Nuclear weapons are another tool of thisstrategy to generate fear in the enemy, becoming apreemptive threat. Nevertheless, as we have seen,
it has not prevented the terrorist attacks on major
military powers in the world. Why? Because
security is not achieved by weapons and military
power it needs other kinds of actions.
Fortunately, in century XXI, there is no
possibility to have a military invasion in Japan, in
Spain or in any other state from another country.
International Relations are played now in adifferent way and the military option is not
accepted anymore. The only one doing that in thenear past has been USA and NATO in Middle East,and Russia in their area of influence. It is obviousthat ISIS is a cause and a result of the invasion of
Iraq.

Disarmament for development as an alternative
Why do we have arms in the world, why do wehave people ready to use them? Because we haveresources to do it. Military budget or military
expenditure is the beginning of the armaments
cycle. Without military spending there is no
possibility to pay armies, buying arms ordeveloping new weapons. Global military
expenditure in 2015 was $1.7 trillion, 2.3% of theworld’s total Gross Domestic Product (source:
SIPRI). IPB promotes together with many otherpeace organizations in the world the Global
Campaign on Military Spending, which propose tochange this Security Unitary Thought to a Human
Security Thought, using military resources to coverhuman needs, which as a result achieve greater
security.

Military security or Human security?
Military security is based in armies andweapons; this traditional approach to security is50

There are different ways to calculate how
military expenditure could help to get moresecurity not based in military security approach.
One of them is what compares military expenditurewith UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How far would this money go towards achieving
the SDG’s? (based on article by Sam Perlo
Freeman from SIPRI)- 2015 OECD report on climate finance says that$100 billion a year by 2020 would be suitableto fund green technology and to fight climatechange.
- A 2015 report from the UN Food andAgriculture Organization calculates in $265
billion a year eliminating extreme poverty andhunger sustainably by 2030.
- The 2015 Education for All Global Monitoring
Report found that providing universal primaryand early secondary education by 2030 would
require $239 billion a year.
- A 2015 report by the Sustainable Development
Solutions Network states that with about half ofworld military spending in 2015 (between$760–$885 ) we could achieve most of SDGs
(health, education, agriculture, food security,
access to energy, water and sanitation,
telecommunications and transport, ecosystems,
emergency, climate change mitigation).
Besides that, nuclear weapons maintenance anddeveloping have an extraordinary cost in the world
every year. As we can see in the book Risks andthreats of nuclear arsenal, from Centre Delàs for
Peace Studies: Russia and the USA have expensive
nuclear modernization programs planned for the
future. USA plans to spend in 30 years around 1
trillion of dollars only modernizing nuclear
weapons. How much other nuclear possessing
states are going to spend to maintain and improvetheir nuclear arsenals? What are the opportunity
costs of military and nuclear spending, what could
we do with 1 trillion dollars during the next 15
years? Could this trillion be used to reach SDGs?
Moreover, it’s important to consider otherresources related to nuclear weapons expenditure.
Financing nuclear arms producers is one of themain activities that divest resources from real
economy to war and defense economics. Debt ratioof military companies shows that 3 out of 4
weapons wouldn’t exist without banks support.
This fact could be even higher on nuclear weapons
companies’ case, because their production isexpensive and highly based in technology. Without
aid from banks, most of nuclear weapons wouldn’t
be viable.
From the report from PAX: Don’t bank on thebomb 2015 there are 26 companies involved in the
production, maintenance, and modernization of

nuclear weapons. Those 26 are based in France,
India, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom
and the United States. It also shows that 382 banks,
insurance companies, pension funds and asset
managers from 27 countries invest significantly inthe nuclear weapon industry (59 are based in AsiaPacific). In total, more than USD 493 billion wasmade available to the nuclear weapon producing
companies. In Asia-Pacific, the biggest investors
are Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (Japan), Life
Insurance Corporation of India, and Sumitomo
Mitsui Financial (Japan).
Disarmament, reducing military expenditureand eliminating nuclear weapons would allow
humanity to have enormous resources to improve
our security (human security) and getting peace. It
could be done if we move from the Security
Unitary Thought or Military Security Approach toa Human Security which implies the abolition of
nuclear weapons.

Senaga Misao
Member of Okinawa Prefectural
Assembly
I extend my respects and greetings of solidarity
to you all, who are committed to anuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world.
My heartfelt thanks for your support and solidarity
with the struggle in Okinawa against theconstruction of a new base in Henoko, Nago City,
and against the construction of Osprey helipads in
Takae, Higashi Village. At this moment, thesituation in Okinawa is growing tense due to theplanned construction of a new U.S. base. In the
Okinawa Prefectural Assembly election last June,
the ruling coalition backing anti-base Governor
Onaga Takeshi increased its seats. In the Houseof Councilors election in July, Iha Yoichi won witha wide margin of over 106,000 votes, defeating
Abe Cabinet's Minister for Okinawa affairs. With
this loss, the Liberal Democratic Party has no Diet
memberelectedfrom
Okinawa
Prefecture.
Okinawans demonstrated theirunwavering will to prevent the construction of a
new base in Henoko.
Early on the morning of July 11, one day after
the House of Councilors election, theOkinawa Defense Bureau started bringing inmaterials and equipment for building of helipads in
Takae, Higashi Village. On July 21, about 1,600
people rallied in front of the N1 zone gate of the
US military's Northern Training Area to protest
against the resumed construction, while thePrefectural Assembly
adoptedastatement
demanding the cancellation of the helipad
51

communities in Okinawa. In December 2015, theAll Okinawa Council was inaugurated with theparticipation of business organizations. It has been
actively supporting the local struggle andorganizing rallies and meetings. The “Henoko
Fund" has raised 578 million yen as a fund tosustain the struggle. I want to take this opportunity
to thank people all over Japan for theircontributions. This year marks the 71st year fromthe end of the war and the 44th year from
Okinawa's reversion to Japan achieved by thestruggle of the Okinawan people. They fought fora nuclear-free and base-free peaceful Okinawa,placing their hope in the Peace Constitution that
stipulates“renunciation
of
war".
The
All-Okinawa struggle is rooted in the commitmentof the Okinawan people to peace. They are
resolved not to repeat the tragic Battle of Okinawa
that killed one in every four people in theprefecture. It takes root also in the people's
growing awareness that they do not need bases
anymore because the bases threaten human rights
and democracy, and because they are an obstacle toeconomic development.
In April this year, a former US marine killed atwenty-year old woman and abandoned her inthe mountains. The All Okinawa Council organizeda big rally to mourn her death and protest
the outrage. 65,000 people gathered to call for
the withdrawal of US Marines from Okinawa.
The victimized woman was born 20 years ago, theyear when 85,000 people rallied in protest against
the gang rape of a school girl by US marines.
The loss of her life reminded Okinawans thatthings have not changed a bit concerning the US
military presence even 71 years after the end of thewar. Okinawans are gripped by uncontrollable
anger and deep sadness for not having been able tosave the life and dignity of a young woman. They
are resolved not to allow another tragedy of thiskind to recur.
The government, however,continues to refuse to revise the Japan-U.S.
Status of Forces Agreement. Even after the sadincident, there have been drunk-driving accidents
involving US military personnel. People havegrown even more angry over the way thegovernment and U.S. military are dealing with thecase.
Okinawa will fight through to victory for thesake of its pride and dignity. The struggle of
All Okinawa has developed into a united effort ofcitizens and opposition parties calling for the
repeal of the war legislation. In the recent Houseof Councilors election, opposition parties jointly
fielded candidates
in
all
32
single-seatconstituencies and won 11 of them. In the US,
Berkeley City Council adopted a resolution against

construction. Early in the following morning,
July 22, the government sent 500-strong riot police
from all over Japan and removed protestors
violently, along with their tents and vehicles, toclear the area in order to resume construction. On
the same day, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism filed another lawsuit
against Okinawa over the construction of a newbase in Henoko. Is Japan really a democracy?
The government's high-handedness, overriding thepeople's will as expressed in the elections, and theexercise of ultimate authority in disregard of thelaw is only fueling the anger of Okinawan people.
The government’s attempt to push ahead with thebase construction, without providing legal grounds
and skipping all required legal procedures, isexactly the kind of the situation that is likely toarise if a “state of emergency” is proclaimed as
stipulated in the LPD draft constitution. I want toraise the alarm for you all.
The government claims that the helipads will“reduce the burden on Okinawa because a largepart of the Northern Training Site will be
returned." However, using the two helipads alreadycompleted, Ospreys are flying till late at night withroaring sound, making it difficult for children to
get to sleep or to attend classes. Some local people
have even evacuated from their homes. Obviously,bases’ functions are being reinforced. Fifteen
helipads already exist in the area which will not be
returned. There is no reason whatsoever to makethe construction of new helipads as a precondition
for returning the land. The US military authorities
admit that they are going to return the land that is“not convenient” for use. They therefore should
return the land without precondition. It is very
likely that riot police will rush again and again to
Takae to brutally disperse local people whoare continuing sit-in protests. In Takae, protest
rallies are planned for August 5th and 6th andthe tension is heightening there.
The anti-base struggle in Okinawa has been
carried out in different forms. One is the political
battle through election campaigns and local
assemblies. Another is the court struggle against
the State. There is also people's struggle atcommunity level like the one in Henoko and lastly
the struggle of a mass movement. On August 5,
in the first oral argument in the trial, Governor
Onaga will squarely argue for the legality of his
decision to withdraw the approval for landfill workin the Henoko district. He will also speak of thehardships Okinawan people have been enduring
because of the excessive US military presence overthe last 71 years. Thirty “Shimagurumi Kaigi”,
the local people's associations opposing the baseconstruction, have been formed in different

52the construction of a new base in Henoko.
Okinawans are inspired by the spreading support
for their struggle all over Japan and throughout theworld. In order to hand over the world's mostbeautiful natural environment to our children, let
us strengthen our solidarity to move forward
towards a peaceful and just world without nuclear
weapons.

implementation.” China declared the ruling as nulland void and has no binding force. China has goneon a media barrage. An understandable position
given that the Chinese government has framed thisparticular issue on the South China Sea/West
Philippine Sea as a sovereignty issue, a defense of
their sovereignty to unify the Chinese people. For
the Communist Party to stay in power. It will take awhile before the Chinese will accept the decisionand find some ways to save face.
Will our new government genuinely take aconciliatory approach, not to taunt the Chinese, notto flaunt victory on the case and remain humble in
the face of victory as this will help in terms ofrenewing our ties with China. The Philippines
have very abnormal ties with China. We need topursue normal relationship, to be able to talk witheach other, to be able to exchange ideas, to be able
to talk differences and try to get along. But will thePhilippines be able to do this balancing act in theface of strong U.S. military presence both in termsof troops and military facilities in the Philippines
and in the face of the implementation of the latest
agreement between the Philippines and the UnitedStates?
This brings me to the second point: The
Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. Now
declared constitutional by our Supreme Court
recently before the arrival of the U.S. Secretary ofState Kerry. Signed on the eve of U.S. President
Obama’s visit to the Philippines in 2014 providing
for return of the use of the Philippines as U.S.
staging ground. I will not go into details about that
now, maybe in one of the Workshops on August 5, I
could talk about it in depth. For now, I would justlike to say that under EDCA, there are at least seven(7) agreed locations for U.S. military forces to use
and this includes the former U.S. Airbase in Clark
and Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of theArmed Forces of the Philippines no less. The
Philippines has also committed under EDCA tobuild facilities for the exclusive use of the U.S. andits allies including Japan, Korea, Australia, etc.
Third: We had our national election last May
that ushered in a new government led by Rodrigo
Duterte as president, who won by big margin overthe candidate of the ruling party. He won under
platform of genuine change which translates tosolving the drug problem in the country, reforming
the police, stopping corruption in government andalleviation of poverty. The magic platform that
responds to the need of the people. By the way, hebelieves in summary killings, wants the death
penalty back, and wants emergency powers to beable to do his job well and quick. He curses a lot
and demeans women. But I also believe he means
business (but he likes to do things quick likeStatements:
Corazon Fabros
Secretary General
Nuclear-Free Philippines Coalition
The Philippines
Some thoughts on what’s new in thePhilippines:
The Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 12,2016 released its 501-page award favoring thePhilippines in its maritime dispute against China.
A summary of key points of the judgment of thePermanent Court of Arbitration:x renderednull and void China’s
Nine-Dash-Line claim to some 90 per centof the South China Sea
x rejected China’s claim that the land
formations and waters in the area havehistorically fallen exclusively under theambit of the Chinese statex dismissed the view that the terrestrial
formations in the area are habitable islands,
which could generate 200 mile Exclusive
EconomicZones(EEZs)
for theirclaimants
x faulted China for violating the fishingrights of Filipino fisherfolks in
Scarborough Shoal
x criticized China for causing severe damage
to the fragile environment of the area with
its land reclamation and dredging activities
Chito Sta. Romana, former ABC News Beijing
Bureau Chief, believes that the Arbitral Tribunal’s
ruling is both a challenge and an opportunity for thePhilippines.
A challenge is how to convert the legal
document into a reality. A challenge in the sensethat the Philippine government will have to find away to make China comply with the decision.
And the opportunity lies in the new Duterte
government’s signal of a less adversarial and moreconciliatory approach with China. That may workin our favor but as expected, China’s hardline
position with regards the court’s proceedings andthe decision can be summed up as “non-acceptance,
no participation, no recognition and no53

summary killings of drug addicts, pushers, dealers,
except the drug lords who would have to go
through some special procedures. He also agrees tothe burial of the former dictator Marcos in thespecial cemetery for fallen heroes and patriots withmilitary honors. It’s a shock for many of us. A
situation we have not anticipated would ever
happen. Already as of yesterday – there are over
500 summary killings mostly drug related or drug
suspects and over 70,000 surrendered. What isreally shocking is that, the general public welcome
this as the real change that they have been waitingfor.
Anyway, where does this find us? We areslowly gaining our composure, putting our heads,
hearts and our experience together to achieve ourunities and solidarity and hopefully find ourselves
identifying the real enemy and go back toorganizing, coalition building and the real hard
stuff that we need to do (informing, organizing,
conscientizing – because there is no shortcut).
I think, I will end with that note and to just saythat we continue to be vigilant and committed to
opposing the militarization of the Philippines andof the region, push for an independent foreign
policy for the Philippines, lobby for a peacefulsolution to the problem with China, uphold thenuclear weapons-free and bases-free provision of
our constitution, support the peace negotiation with
the Moro rebels and the National Democratic Front
and the Communist Party of the Philippines &other armed rebels so that peace may prevail in ourcountry.

peace and environment advocate from thePhilippines, who introduced me to the peace marchand invited me to join in 2015.
She can't be here with us today but I'd like toshare a message from her:"This early, we are proposing thecontinuation of the International Youth Relay
Peace March. The mechanics are still the sameas the past years where the marchers will cover
their own air fare to and from Japan; that
Gensuikyo
will
host
the
marchers
accommodation and food while in the marchand that Gensuikyo will take care of the airport
transfer to and from the localities. Also fromthe previous years, the marcher must give to
Gensuikyo the funds raised while in the march– this is part of the fund raising for themarcher’s expenses. Experiences of themarchers will then be shared through social
media – at least in Facebook and the
www.heiwakoshindesu.wordpress.com
blog.
As early as now, we are starting this
proposal to help identify marchers and prepare
earlier. We from the Philippines are pledging tosend at least two marchers. One marcher canwalk through Tokyo and Kanagawa to make ahead start. I also recommend to reserve thelatter prefectures – i.e. Okayama and Hiroshima
to the farther countries like the US to give themlonger lead time to prepare for airfare (as it ismore expensive) and to ensure that they canalso join the World Conference.
One of the targets for next year is to publish
a book with the compilation of insights fromthe marchers themselves since 2013. I believe
the time is ripe and we have collected enoughinsights to compile. Proceeds of this book areintended to help raise funds for the marchers
both inside Japan and in our respective
countries. Details of this can be discussed
further.
If you would allow, we would also like totake the opportunity to invite organizations andyouth marchers while in the World Conference.
Thank you very much for your continuous
support. Though I cannot attend this year’sWorld Conference, my commitment to thepeace movement and my dedication to thePeace March remains. I hope to see you all
again. Warm hugs to everyone."
And with that I say: Let Peace prevail overanything that goes against it.

Guerrero (AG) Saño
Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement
The Philippines
Peace March Proposal
It has been a year after I joined the 70th
commemoration of the bombing of Nagasaki andHiroshima and I can still remember vividly theimages of horror from the pictures that were shown
to me by the Hibakushas.
The past year I have been giving talks about
peace in my homeland with the inspiration andhope that I gained from my walk in Japan last year.
Today I continue to walk in solidarity with theJapanese people and in accordance to my belief
that peace should always be the utmost priority of
all nations.
This message was solidified in my heart andmind because of the lessons I learned from theinternational youth relay for the peace march.
It was Malaya Fabros, a college schoolmate,54

the adverse environmental effects and theincreased threat of war.
x We support the freedom-loving Filipinos,
who urge their government to repeal the
Enhanced
DefenseAgreement
Cooperation (EDCA) that allows there-establishment of US military bases in
the country,
x We declare solidarity with the Japanesepeople who are campaigning for theabolition of war laws and keeping Article
9 in their Peace Constitution.
Wars and militarization have untold negative
impact on women and children:
x The presence of foreign troops and bases
are magnets for prostitution, pornography
and the rape of women in the hostcommunities.
x Toxic substances and nuclear materials
from docking warships, and kept in basefacilities poison not only women’s bodies,causing birth-defects such as ‘jelly-babies’
and other life-threatening and debilitating
conditions. The poisons also pollute theland and waters from which we feed ourchildren, and shall become our legacy tothem, such as what happened in Subic
Naval Base in Olongapo, and otherabandoned US bases in the Philippines.
x War leaves women to care for theirfamilies alone, and women from bothsides of the fighting are widowed.
Peace Women Partners supports the call of theWorld Conference organizers for Life, Peace andJustice for women and men of Asia and the world!

Mercedes Llarinas Angeles
Executive Director
Peace Women Partners
Statement of Solidarity of the Peace Women
Partners:
WOMEN WEAVING PEACE
The Peace Women Partners is an organizationof women in Asia Pacific and Africa who share the
VISION of a WORLD WITHOUT WAR. We held
our International Conference on Women, Peaceand Security with the theme: Women Leaders in
Peace Building and Rebuilding Lives in
Pangasinan, Philippines this February 2016. Ourparticipants numbering around 200 from thePhilippines, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Fiji,
Cook Islands and Australia united to call for a
Nuclear Weapon-free, Peaceful and Just World.
Peace Women Partners calls for recognition
that world wars have continued unabated since1945. There have been no ‘Victory’ days for thepeoples of the Asia Pacific regions. Ourcommunities have borne the effects of military
hostilities for more than half a century as theinterests of western power and domination, throughthe military industrial complex, have waged theirwars on our doorsteps, in our bedrooms, in the very
cells of our unborn children. Today with the US
pivot to Asia, we are witnessing a US militarybuildup that escalates tensions and may provoke
war among Asian countries.
x We deplore the continuous operation of
military bases throughout the Asia Pacificregion, and the building of new bases
despite people’s opposition, such as what
is happening in Henoko, Okinawa.
x We call for a halt in the construction ofhelipads in the U.S. Marines’ training
center in Takae, northern Okinawa topreserve the lives of Takae residents andprotect the biodiversity of the surroundingarea.
x We join the call of the villagers ofGangjeong in Jeju Island, South Korea,
who struggle peacefully to stop theoperation of the Naval Base which willallow the US to launch its US Aegis
missile destroyers, aircraft carriers, andnuclear submarines to make war against
any part of the world.
x We support the fight of the people of
Seongju in North Gyeongsang Province ofSouth Korea to oppose the Terminal High
Altitude Defense (THAAD) missile
defense system in their hometown, which
they are forced to pay for, while risking

Shreedhar Gautam
C.C. Member, Afro-Asian Peoples’
Solidarity Organisation (AAPSO) of
Nepal
Support and Solidarity for World Peace andNuclear Weapons Free WorldI am Shreedhar Gautam, member of central
committee of Nepal AAPSO. It gives me greathonor to attend “2016 World Conference against
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs” and pay homage tothe thousands of Japanese women, men andchildren who were victims of the nuclear bombingsof Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I have had thepleasure of attending 2013 conference in this verycity. I had gone back to Nepal with a greater
sense of responsibility and I delivered the messageof the conference to my students in Nepal’s
University in particular and to all people of Nepal
55

international community to prevent, at all costs, therisk of civilization being wiped off the face of the
Earth. This is a commitment that must be urgently
defended.
The mere existence of nuclear arsenals
constitutes a destabilizing element of international
peace and security. As long as a limited group ofcountries consider themselves entitled to possess
nuclear weapons, there will be a risk that
non-nuclear weapon states or non-state actors may
also want them. Moreover, the preservation andfurther development of nuclear arsenals undermine
disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, and canalso encourage an arms race of potentiallydevastating efforts.
The multinational corporations in the US andWestern Imperialist countries gain super profits by
manufacturing equipments for nuclear power
plants and dump them on the third world countries.
They keep on propagating that the electricity
generated in nuclear power plants are cheap, clean
and also safe. But the tragedies that have takenplace in Chernobyl and Fukushima should serve as
eye opener for the entire mankind. Hence, a total
ban on nuclear power plants is very much required.
Nepal AAPSO has a staunch and longstanding
commitment to nuclear disarmament andnon-proliferation. Nepal AAPSO always stands
ready to contribute to further efforts at theinternational level in order to achieve universal,
transparent and irreversible disarmament.
Last year, Nepal AAPSO organized aninternational conference in Kathmandu tocommemorate the 60th anniversary Bandung
Conference. Many participants and paper writers
focused on the need of building world peace by
way of eliminating nuclear weapons from each andevery part of the world. Nepal AAPSO organizes aseminar to highlight danger posed by nuclear
weapons around the world and to pay homage tothe millions of innocent people who got perished in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki for their no crime. Nepal
AAPSO organizes monthly programme to create
public awareness in favor of world peace andagainst the war mongering policies of the westernimperialist countries. Nepal though a non-nuclear
country is in the midst of the major nuclear power
countries, so it can realize the pain and peril
generated by the nuclear weapons. My
participation along with my two colleagues from
Nepal AAPSO, is to reaffirm our solidarity withthe people of Japan and pay regard to all
Hibakusha.
I am hopeful that the deliberations andresolutions of this World Conference against A andH bombs will further strengthen the international
opinion in favor of total elimination of nuclear

in general. My coming to Hiroshima second time isjust and another pilgrimage to this great city.
Greetings from nuclear free Nepal to this mostmajor NGO conference held in our world for the
total abolition of nuclear weapons from this earth
to secure future for humanity and all life that there
would not remain the grave real threats from theexistence of these weapons. The world is adifferent place from when the UN was establishedand the aims and objectives of that body have been
deeply compromised, but this World Conference
will deal with these issues and will as in decades
past revitalize the peace actions around the world.
It is really heartening to note that, you friends
in Japan, are steadfastly conducting a campaign,
year after year, for the total elimination of nuclear
weapons. Holding such annual conferences against
A and H bombs is certainly having a far reaching
impact in creating awareness among the people
who are living in other parts of the world, to standup for the total abolition of nuclear arsenals fromthe world.
Almost eight decades after the end of theSecond World War, the images of those bombingsstill haunt the conscience of humanity. The
unspeakable suffering of thousands of civilians andthe physical and psychological wounds that many
still bear continue to remind us of the horrificconsequences from a nuclear detonation. Today, as
we remember the victims, we call on theinternational community to urgently recommit
itself to achieving a world free from nuclear
weapons.
Nepal AAPSO, remains deeply concerned
about the catastrophic humanitarian consequencesof any possible use of nuclear weapons. So, Nepal
is always advocating for the total ban of nuclear
weapons. Moreover, Nuclear disarmament is not
only an international legal obligation. It is also a
moral imperative. In spite of the growinginternational consensus regarding the illegitimacyof the use of nuclear weapons, an estimated 20,000
nuclear devices still exist. This is mainly due to thenotorious resistance of nuclear-weapons States(NWS) to agree to multilaterally negotiatedcommitments, in line with their obligations under
the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), with a view toa gradual reduction and a complete elimination of
their nuclear arsenals, according to clear andbinding timelines and under an effective andtransparent verification regime.
The only guarantee that nuclear weapons will
never be used, under any circumstances, is theircomplete elimination. As long as they continue toexist, the world will never be completely free fromthe risk of a nuclear detonation, be it intentional or
accidental. It is the responsibility of the56weapons from this planet. I once again thank theorganizers for giving me this opportunity toaddress this august house. Let us march ahead,towards a better future, wherein the world will befree of nuclear weapons.
In the end, on behalf of Nepal AAPSO, I once
more pay homage to the victims of the Hiroshima
and Nagasaki bombings and call upon theinternational community, in particular the
nuclear-weapon states (NWS), to show politicalresolve and intensify their efforts towards thecomplete elimination of nuclear weapons.

I wish to take this opportunity to call for more
support by governmental and non-governmentalorganizations, as well as individuals, for victims of
nuclear weapons, Agent Orange, and all kinds ofmass destruction weapons, who are still sufferingfrom physical and mental pains.
Once again, thank you for everything theorganizers of this conference have done for us.

Purna Bahadur Maharjan
AAPSO Nepal

Solidarity for a world without nuclear weapons

Dhyan Bahadur Subba
AAPSO Nepal

I am from the country known as the birthplaceof the peace messenger Gautama Buddha and for
Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain. I
come to Japan for the first time to attend thisconference. By this visit, my dream to learn
about the wonderful cities of Hiroshima andNagasaki has come true.
The two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki haveexperienced the inhuman brutality which instantly
killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
This was the most terrifying massacre that took
place on earth in the 20th century. August 6 and9, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have been and will be
remembered as the dark history of mankind.
When I was a child, our teacher told us
heart-breaking stories about the A-bombings on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By listening to thestories, we were driven by fear of nuclear attacks
against humanity. Why had the peace-loving
Japanese people and their civilization become thetarget for the brutal attack? We imagined how
painful and angry Japanese people had been. We
still feel the fear and believe that we must free theworld from risks posed by nuclear weapons.
Since many countries continue to develop nuclear
weapons, we cannot guarantee that the tragedy ofHiroshima and Nagasaki will never be repeated.
We pursue the total abolition of nuclear
weapons in order to achieve a world without them.
Gensuikyo has long struggled to this end. We
express our heartfelt gratitude to Gensuikyo’s
activities. Thanks to its invitation, we have beenable to join this conference. Nepal, the birthplaceof Buddha, is surrounded by nuclear-armed India,
China and Pakistan. Therefore, our region is notfree from conflicts. For peace-loving Nepalese,
AAPSO Nepal has organized seminars to pursue
peace and to fight against development of nuclear
weapons.
I would like to take this opportunity to express
my deepest condolences to the victims of nuclear

Solidarity to 2016 World Conference against
A & H Bombs
It is my pleasure to be here today, attending
one of the world’s largest events raising the voiceof people of conscience against the use of atomic
bombs in the past, and against the proliferation of
nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction atpresent. Please allow me to convey my warm
greetings and best wishes to all international andJapanese participants in this conference.
On behalf of the Nepal AAPSO, I would like toextend our profound solidarity to all victims of the1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
those of the nuclear disasters in Chernobyl in 1986
and in Fukushima in 2011, as well as victims of all
nuclear tests, and all kinds of weapons of mass
destruction in different parts of the world over the
past decades.
Allow me also to say thank you to the Japan
Council against A & H Bombs (Gensuikyo) and its
members and volunteers for organizing thissignificant event and offering a generous
hospitality to overseas delegations, including thatfrom Nepal.
We are all aware of the catastrophic
consequences of the atomic bombings of Japan 73
years ago, which killed hundreds of thousands ofinnocent people while leaving behind hundreds ofthousands of others suffering from never-ending
health problems.
And we are profoundly concerned that nations
are taking “national security” as pretext forretaining and developing nuclear weapons. The
Nepal AAPSO, therefore, wants to join our voicewith that of peace movements from across theworld to call on all governments to strictly
implement Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as away leading to a “Nuclear Weapon-free, peacefuland Just World,” as this conference is themed.

57weapons. I would also like to express my
sympathy to all Hibakusha and pledge to promotestrong solidarity.

True, the struggle between the forces of goodand evil continues till today, but simultaneously,
man’s sense of good prevails and he endeavors tohold aloft the beacon of peace and harmony
amongst nations.

Anasua Roy Chowdhury
University Professor
India

Arup Kumar Das
Freelance Peace Worker
India

Faith in Peace

I express my solidarity to all the organisations
those who are trying their level best to create anuclear free World and give Peace a chance. My
heartfelt thanks to our host country, Japan fortaking the lead role to organise such a great event.
And has made it possible for us to attend the 71st
Anniversary of Nuclear Bombings on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
A question has cropped up to my mind, i.e. if
we really want to survive then should we not think
about a total Ban on Nuclear weapons; a Nuclear
Weapon free world.
Why do we need to have a total Ban on Nuclear
Weapons???
The Earth we live in would be in total disasteras Nuclear weapons pose the single biggest threat
to the Earth's environment that scientists havewarned.
In a new study of the potential global impactsof nuclear blasts, it has been found that even asmall-scale war would quickly devastate theworld's climate and ecosystems, causing damage
that would last for more than a decade. The ozone
layer, which protects the surface of the Earth fromharmful ultraviolet radiation, would be depleted by
40% over many inhabited areas and up to 70% at
the poles. I cannot imagine what would happen if
there was an explosion /detonation, there would be
total fallout everywhere. The country would beshut down. So, on this note I would say let us thinkof a total Ban on Nuclear Weapons so that we canpass on a blue and clear sky to our younger
generation?
The human race, the beautiful creation of God
would be in total mess. We have heard about thephysical and emotional pain from the Hibakushas,the victims of the Nuclear Weapons. The
Hibakushas have pointed out that these weapons
are of mass murder and warn us that Human beings
and Nuclear Weapons cannot coexist. Physicians
have told us what will happen if these weapons
were to be used. We know now about the "atomic
winter" with its destruction of the biosphere and of
all conditions necessary for life. The physicians
have also shown the absence of any escape route,and that there is no feasible protection available

Man realizes that with time his belief
undergoes a sea change. His childhood faith incompleteness, in peace evolves with a change in
his environment, culture and values. The cruelty,
bloodshed, terrorism all around the world shakes
the very foundation of his faith in peace.
Rabindranath Tagore in many of his writings
has emphasized the bankrupted of such faith at the
far end of his life. He once believed that Europe’s
civilization was its treasure, but gradually herealized that savagery in Europe was spreading its
tentacles, striking terror in every heart. Subjugationof the human soul was spreading like a plague,
humiliating the very essence of humanity. Man has
tried to exploit his fellow beings paying to lordthem. Tagore in his poem “Prantik” has given aclarion call to those who are preparing to resist theunholy forces, which ultimately is self-destroying.
In the history of the world, down the ages, thestrong has always suppressed and exploited theweak, but the latter as sure to wake up one day andquestion the tyranny of the ruler. Tagore’s plays“Raktakarabi”, “Muktadhara” “Bisharjan” all bear
testimony to this very fact, the true ruler feels forhis subjects, shares their agony and extends his
hand for their welfare. The Mughal ruler Akbar had
striven of secularism, - to bring together all
religions on the basis of love, tolerance andunderstanding. It is a constant struggle between
heartless supremacy and the power of true love.
Since ages, India’s teaching has been to realize
one’s inner strength, the real treasure as opposed toapparent pale exterior; - the king has to leavebehind his crown to enter the hermitage. This is not
merely a philosophic speculation, but amounts tobring India’s religion to be practiced in one’s daily
life. But when rites and rituals become more
important than the pride of power comes to the fore
resulting in senseless wastage of vitality. It pushes
man towards restlessness, the consequence of
which has been the dropping of atomic bomb on
Hiroshima, - 6th August, 1045 being a red letterday. On witnessing the terrible destruction, man
had sworn never to use such weapon in future andtill date he has kept his word. We observe thisday as World Peace Day.
58

Chitto jetha bhoyshunyo (Where the mind iswithout fear) is one of the most quoted poems in
India and Bangladesh. Written by Nobel Laureate,
Rabindranath Tagore before India's independence,
it represents Tagore's dream of how the new,awakened India should be. It appeared as poem
35 in the English Gitanjali. I quote:“Where the mind is without fear and the head isheld high;Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up intofragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms
towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its
way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action;
Into that heaven of freedom, My Father, let mycountry awake.”
In fact I would like the whole World to awake
and strive for total Ban on Nuclear Weapons andgive PEACE a chance.

against such an atomic catastrophe. Home defence
and medical services would inevitably collapse; itwould be impossible to help the injured and the
dying, and survivors would be subjected to themurderous long term consequences.
Are we here only to look back at what
happened 71 years back in Japan, and millions ofpeople who lost their lives in World War II, but weare here to assess where we are today on ridding
the world of Nuclear Weapons?
Face to face with the threat of nuclear war,
there is one common interest which will assert
itself over all others: the will to survive. In otherwords, there is a common human interest in
preventing nuclear war. The feeling for thiscommon interest is now beginning to be so strongthat a watchword seems to be evolving: People of
all lands who wish to survive, unite!
If we, let the atomic powers decide our future,
there will be no future. Today on this common
platform let us pledge a new world where we thepeople force the nuclear weapons of mass
destruction to become obsolete. Let the leaders feelthe action of the common people. I am convincedthat we can make the ban a reality if we only takeup the torch of sanity, for a world freed of nuclear
bombs.

59

abolish nukes soon, and hopes that theinternational delegates present here will deliver
their messages of same confidence and spreadthem throughout their country.
During our discussion we were also remindedthat Hibakusha must live in constant fear ofdeveloping illnesses or having symptoms eventoday as a result of exposure to radiation. Although
they appear healthy on the outside, this does stopthem from unexpectedly dying, which we now
know was from internal exposure to radioactivity.
As the Black Rain Association described, theeffects of the bomb could be felt kilometers away
due to the black rain that fell. Currently, Hibakushafrom places where the black rain fell comparatively
less are struggling to gain support and legitimacy
in court as scientific data was only collected forexternal radiation exposure, not internal exposure.
The campaign to address the neglect of these black
rain victims still continues. Our workshop also
focused on Hibakusha from the Bikini Atoll
incident, Fukushima and even those made into
Hibakushas while still fetuses who all still struggle
for recognition. Although the Nuclear ResearchInstitute still insists that there is no proof of 2nd
hand radiation, campaigns are still very active infighting for scientific support and urge us forcollaboration and conversations in regards to these
Hibakusha.
The promoting the International Signature
Campaign was also a main focus of discussion.

Closing Session (August 4)
Reports from Workshops:


Workshop I: Damage and Suffering from
A-Bombs in Hiroshima & Nagasaki;
Inhuman Nature of Nuclear Weapons;
Struggle of the Hibakusha
Haleigh Copley-Cunningham
President, Tufts University Peace Action
U.S.A.
Workshop 1 regarding “Damage andSuffering from A-Bombs in Hiroshima andNagasaki; Inhumane Nature of Nuclear Weapons;
Struggle of the Hibakusha”, proved to be a
successful informative discussion with the focus of
the human costs and suffering behind the atomic
bomb. Several Hibakusha were gracious enough torecount their courageous yet heart-wrenching talesof survival in detail as well as their efforts today
regarding nuclear abolition. Despite the averageage of the Hibakusha being 80 years old, the flameof hope for nuclear abolition still burns fierce. As
Hibakusha Junko Kayashige, who was only 6 years
old when the bomb fell and recalled picking
maggots out of the severe burn wounds from her
sister’s back, said that she is confident that we will

60

Many Gensuikyo members from around Japan
called for a notion to expand collaboration withother local organizations, including labor unions,municipals and religious groups. Another main
strategy discussed is for Hibakushas to continue totake active roles in promoting the Signature
Campaign like participating in rallies and marches.
Katano Kenji of Kanagawa Gensuikyo describedthe 13-day rally with over 6 thousand participants,
including 122 Hibakusha, the oldest being 95 years
old. In addition, exporting the signature campaign
to America and internationally is also an important
strategy, especially with growing stigmatization
regarding the use of the atom bomb among
American youth in particular and the recent
success in gathering signatures in New York.
We were excited to hear updates from theInternational Youth Relay Peace March as well as
educational efforts. Over 5 thousand signatures
were collected in Nagano alone and the teachers
who participated in the march plan to deliver theirlessons and experiences to their students. Also
noted this year will be Shinfujin’s 50th publicationof Hibakusha testimonies. Publications such as thisare also gaining an international audience as seen
when Roland Gardien from France together with agroup of French high school students, successfullytranslated the Hibakusha book “A Day Never toForget” into French. Hopefully the publication ofthis French version can go on to be further utilized
to educate French speaking people about theatomic bomb and its victims.
From our workshop’s discussion, it is clear that
Hibakusha and their families are still haunted by
the atomic and hydrogen bombs. We must
internalize their stories and aspirations both inJapan and internationally so that they can be turned
into action. Utilizing new strategies to strengthen
the Signature Campaign and educational efforts
will bring us even closer to stopping a future withmore Hibakusha.

Workshop II: International Treaty for theProhibition and Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons; A World without Nuclear
Weapons; Role of Peace Movement andCivil Society
Irene De Vera
Head of International Relations
Pangasinan State University
The Philippines
Workshop II was actually the continuation ofAugust 2, 2016 Plenary Session II, bearing thesame theme with Introductory Speakers namely,
Joseph Gerson of American Friends Service
Committee, USA, Carol Turner, Campaign foe
Nuclear Disarmament of UK, Selma Van Oostward,
PAX, the Netherlands, and Yasui Masakazu,
Secretary General of Japan Council Against
Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo).
The Moderators of the said workshop were Mr.
Magiting Fabros of Philippines, Saito Shun’ichi ofJapan, Yuhara Yukie of Japan and yours truly, Irene
De Vera of Philippines.
The hall was fully occupied and wellparticipated. About 32 speakers shared theirvarious experiences and roles in prohibiting andeliminating nuclear weapons or promoting a
nuclear free country.
Eliminating nuclear
weapons has long been the aim of the Hibakushasof Japan and Korea. Today, Hibakushas are notalone as they felt their lives are nearing to end.
Many Peace movements emerged from different
prefectures of Japan and different parts of theworld. These movements have been calling theattention of the younger generations who care lessof the past. Different approaches were done toreach old and young people know, learn andunderstand the past. These were in the form ofphoto exhibits of ruins in Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
books and booklets of the lives and death of
Hibakusha as they struggle to tell the world thethirst for world peace. Some sang songs andrecited poems in 2-3 days in the street to attract
people especially the young ones to affix theirsignatures for nuclear abolition campaign. While
doing these, amounts given voluntarily though few
yet enlightened the organization cause.
In
Hiroshima, elementary and high school students
signatures for peace campaign were gathered.
Some attended international conferences andconveyed the messages of Hibakusha throughphoto exhibit or presentation and their video
testimonies. Association of peace marchers
distributed peace leaflets. Other associations have61

very good relations to their mayors which
encouraged them to gather more signatures.
Other creative way of educating the young ones forpeace was through musical choir group.
Hibakusha of Osaka formed a choir group to
render songs to children with their mothers. The
Buddhist group in Japan established stone gravewith a sign of No Nuclear, No War and supported
the signature campaign and prayer.
Peace
Museums were established in Japan to depict theculture and history of Japan and to convey themessage of Japan’s desire for a just and peacefulworld. The nurses in hospitals that took care of
Hibakushas played important role in giving
information on the agonies and pains experienced
by Hibakushas. The information served as inputs
for peace messages and education for young
people.
In Netherlands, signature campaign forpeaceful societies across the globe was being done
through online system using simple or basic
information. Young people were brought toconferences and encouraged them to speak andlay out their feedbacks. Leaflets is one way ofadvertising the cause and communication in open
park and would enjoin the young generations to
involve themselves in peace organizations in
United Kingdom.
Representatives from
Philippines believed in peace march as an effective
way to convey the message and signature
campaign for nuclear abolition and world peace.
The paper crane was very effective tool in
explaining to the Pilipino people the damage ofAtomic bomb in Japan. The Barefoot Gen sent to
the Philippines in manga form was also very
attractive to young people in the Philippines.
Through this, they learned about Japan and thethirst for peace. Also, the use of art in the form of
painting murals attracted people. A 4.2 km peacemurals was painted in the Philippines, the longest
in the world. Teaching art wall to children of rebels
and soldiers especially in Mindanao would makethem appreciate the quest for peace. A lot of
campaign for peace and nuclear abolition is being
done in the form of art, music, poetry and the useof social media like Facebook. The use of animeand social media, these technologies would attract
more young people to become involved and active
to stand for peace.
All the forms and roles whether small or big
will truly matter and contribute to a just and peace
world.

Workshop III: Working Together for a
World without Nuclear Weapons;
Overcoming Nuclear Deterrence
Doctrine; Peaceful Settlement ofConflicts; End to Nuclear Power Plants;
Safe and Secure Life and Environment
Raymond Vincent Lujan
Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice
Guam
Workshop III titled, “Working Together for a
World without Nuclear Weapons; Overcoming
Nuclear Deterrence Doctrine; Peaceful Settlementof Conflicts; End to Nuclear Power Plants; Safeand Secure Life and Environment” served as anopen forum for discussion. The workshop served
as a place for conference participants to share theirstruggles as well as provide possible solutions andsuggestions towards addressing such matters.
The workshop was chaired by Mr. Hirano
Shoichi, Ms. Nagao Yuri, Ms. Mercedes Angeles
and myself. 21 conference participants provided
oral testimonies on behalf of their agency or
personal experiences and the discussion allowed
and called for participation from other participants
to either respond to or provide recommendations.
There were a few participants of the workshop
who are members of the Japan Teachers and Staff
union. Testimonies provided by Noriko Yamamotoand others underscored the important role
education has on campaigns, particularly the
campaigns that call for the use of peace actions toaddress conflict and the campaign calling for theabolition of nuclear weapons. Points were alsobrought up pertaining to the very important role theBoard of Education has on implementing thehistory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and introducing
peace activities in the curriculum.
Nobue Ogasawara, a member of Shinfujin
stressed the importance of collaboration.
Collaboration
betweenassociations
andorganizations as well as groups advocating forother social issues. Given how much of these
problems are interconnected and have implications
from one group to the next, working together is amust in the hopes of abolishing nuclear weapons
and war. She shared of campaign project, “I am..”which was to oppose war legislature from a humanrights stand point.
Mr. Jordi Calvo Refunges of the International
Peace Bureau offered insight on how to combat
war, the military industry and nuclear weapons
through a macroeconomic perspective of thebanking systems that fund these industries. He
shared of his experiences as well as lent insight on
62

Japan has to the use of nuclear energy. Some
believed that while it may be economicallypractical, the move to renewable and organic
energy is morally and ethically the only viableoption so as to not have any chances of humans
and the environment being exposed to radioactiveenergies once more. Many also called for nuclear
energy to be involved in the declaration which calls
for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Mr. Tatsuo Kobayashi of Japan AALA
provided scientific rationale to promoting a
campaign of awareness. His profession andexperience reiterated the fact that the use of
nuclear energy is not acceptable. He argued that if
the people were educated on the scientificcomponent of nuclear energy that they, too, would
call for its abolition. He was challenged by anotherparticipant to simplify the very complex scientificconcepts so that his campaign would be even more
affective. Mr. Oleg Bodrov of NGO Green Worldin Russia, brought the discussion of nuclear power
plants to a close by complimenting the sentiments
made by Mr. Kobayashi as well as share thepurpose of his present work. At one point in time
Mr. Bodrov was employed by the nuclear industry
in Russia and upon learning of the dangers tohumans and the environment he found employment
in investigating the very industry he once worked
for.
Mr. Hirano Shoichi closed the workshop bysummarizing some of the important points made.
He gave a homework assignment and that is it,
connect, talk and engage.

the important decision makers that peace
movements need to address.
The group discussed collectively how
influential social media is. They shared whattactics worked best for them, how to appeal tocertain demographics, the main social network
influencers on particular age groups and how
important it is to engage the younger generation.
A couple of the participants spoke to thedifficulties of engaging in proper dialogue withindividuals who refer to the “Nuclear Deterrence
Doctrine”. Mr. Mitsuku Kato, a 20 year-old thirdyear university student, lent his wise and refreshing
input. He spoke on issues of terrorism and political
disconnect amongst young adults. He offeredvarying perspectives and advice that may assist in
overcoming and talking through the nuclear
deterrence doctrine theory. Many of the otherparticipants expressed how glad they were to see
the younger generation participating in activities
such as this. It provides hope for the future.
While there are some tools in place which callfor peaceful conflict resolution, those tools arebeing threatened. The Japanese Constitution wasoften referenced; however, some spoke out how thepresent events contradict Japan’s renunciation ofwar. Mr. Kyujiro Kawato of Nara Peace Committee
shared how Nara established a war exhibition forpeace that was sponsored by the local government,
the board of education and local newspapers, but
due to 6 complaints from “right wing pro
constitution revision” supporters, the local
government retracted their sponsorship which
resulted in the cancellation of the 23-year-old Nara
War Exhibition for Peace.
Many spoke to the dangers of nuclear power
plants, but one young woman recalled herhorrifying time during the Fukushima disaster thathighlighted the many issues of housing nuclear
power plants in our communities. Ohashi Soari, auniversity student, was very surprised when shelearned of the disaster and the effects it would haveon its surroundings. She questioned how muchthought was put into placing a radioactive plant inan area that frequently received earthquakes. She
described how the “crippling event” led to thedisplacement of her family and herself. She felt as
though the government did not provide as muchassistance as they should have as she and herfamily relocated away from radioactivity. She wasfrustrated by the fact that there was no emergency
evacuation plan in place in the case of a disaster, orat least it was not made clear to the residents ofFukushima.
Others spoke to the ineffective safety checks,
the lack of information regarding nuclear energy to
the neighboring residents and the dependency

Report from the Scientists’ Forum
Hagiwara Shinjiro
Japan Scientists’ Association
The Japan Scientists’ Association has held theScientists’ Forum as a part of the World
Conference against A and H Bombs since 1987.
This year, the 30th forum was held in Yokosuka
City. In the forum on August 1 and 2, we had
active discussion together with citizens on thetheme of achieving the abolition of nuclear
weapons and a peaceful society.
Regarding what actions citizens and scientists
should take to eliminate nuclear weapons,Professor Emeritus Ikeuchi Satoru of Nagoya
University, who is a member of the Committee ofSeven to Appeal for World Peace, gave a very
valuable keynote speech, titled, “The move against
military-academics cooperation and the path to theabolition of nuclear weapons.” He spoke abouttheongoing
rapid
move
to
promote63

military-academics cooperation by the Abe Cabinet
and roles of scientists against such move.
The forum was taken part in by 95 participants,
including 11 JSA members and 84 ordinary
citizens. We were grateful to receive very kind
and warm messages from heads of cities adjacentto Yokosuka, such as mayors of Zushi City and
Hayama Town as well as the assembly chair of
Hayama Town.
Those municipalities havedeclared themselves nuclear free. I believe ourforum held in Yokosuka City attracted local
citizens’ interests. City assembly members andparliamentarians also joined this event, where
active exchanges of opinions between scientists
and citizens took place.
The first speaker was Mr. Hayashida, agraduate student of Meiji Gakuin University and amember of SEALDs (Students Emergency Action
for Liberal Democracy). He spoke of how toblock the move to turn Japan into a war-fighting
nation and gave a report on the effort he wasinvolved to promote opposition parties’ joint
struggle in the latest House of Councilors election.
Mr. Sonozawa, a local resident, made a reporton the current deployment of military vessels in
Yokosuka port. He has monitored the U.S. forces’
nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployed to the
port.
From the U.K., Ms. Carol Turner who is incharge of CND (Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament) London, spoke about a campaign
against the planned renewal of the Trident programand dramatic changes in British political situation.
We were very much inspired by her report that
Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been activein CND, established in 1958, and in campaigns

against nuclear weapons and military expansion.
Her report made us realize that we in Japan alsoneed to actively promote such efforts.
The fourth report was on “hidden greatearthquakes” by Mr. Kanie. He revealed that bypress control during the war, the Tonankai
Earthquake and the Mikawa Earthquake werecovered up. The fifth speaker, Mr. Kameyama
from the University of the Ryukyu, gave a report
titled, “The Japan-U.S. military alliancerealignment under the war laws.” He spoke about
how the bilateral alliance was dramaticallyreinforced under the war laws especially in
Okinawa and in Yokosuka.
A very interesting report on the missile defense
program was given by Mr. Doro who is a former
member of the Self-Defense Forces. Regarding
concern about China’s and North Korea’s missiles,
he stated that the SDF lacks the capability to shootthem down. This is also admitted by the SDF
itself. Revealing this fact, he emphasized theneed to promote peaceful diplomacy.
As the last speaker, Mr. Kishi, a member of
Yokosuka Residents’ Association for Defense of
Article 9, spoke about how this movement wasdeveloped by citizens.
The Scientists’ Forum this year brought about
very valuable discussion on how to achieve theabolition of nuclear weapons together with citizens.
On the second day, we made an on-the-spot tour tosee how military vessels are deployed in Yokosuka
Port. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald
Reagan was stationed there. The two-day forum
deepened recognition that Yokosuka City is so
militarized with the existence of the base.

64

WORLD CONFERENCE
AGAINST ATOMIC & HYDROGEN BOMBS
Organizing Committee: 2-4-4 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8464 JAPAN          Phone: +81-3-5842-6034 Fax: +81-3-5842-6033 E-mail:intl@antiatom.org


H.E. Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi
Chair of the Open Ended Working Group Taking Forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations
August 4, 2016
Dear Ambassador Thani Thongphakdi,
At present, 71st year of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we are meeting at the 2016
World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs from August 2 to 9 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki todiscuss the theme of “A Nuclear Weapon-free, Peaceful and Just World”.

Since the first World Conference against A and H Bombs in 1955, we have held the conference every
year to achieve the three basic objectives of 1) prevention of nuclear war, 2) total ban and the elimination of
nuclear weapons, and 3) relief and solidarity with the Hibakusha, the A-bomb survivors.

With

representatives from UN and a number of national governments as guests, thousands of representatives ofcivil society movements from within Japan and overseas, as well as many Hibakusha and nuclear test
victims from overseas are being assembled in this conference.
In the light of the ideal of the UN Charter to save the humanity from “the scourge of war” and theobjective set out by the first resolution of the UN General Assembly: “the elimination from nationalarmaments of atomic weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction”, we are fully aware of theurgency and vital importance of the historic duty taken upon by your Open Ended Working Group – Taking
forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations. We therefore express our deep respect to you allfor your sincere deliberations.

At our International Meeting, the initial event of the 2016 World Conference, held on August 2-4, we
unanimously adopted the “Declaration of the International Meeting”. Expressing our high appreciation on
the work of your Open-Ended Working Group, it sets out our message to you, saying, “We cordially requestthat the OEWG include the commencement of negotiations for a treaty to ban and eliminate nuclear
weapons in the recommendations submitted to the coming session of the UN General Assembly.” With
this letter, we present the declaration of the Conference to you and through you to the Open-Ended Working
Group, in a hope that our proposal on “the commencement of negotiations for a treaty to ban and eliminate
nuclear weapons” will find expression in the recommendations of your final report.

65As the representatives of the Hibakusha, the A-bomb sufferers, repeatedly warned at your OEWG

meetings as well as at the three international conferences on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear
weapons, the humans and nuclear weapons cannot coexist, and that the only guarantee against therecurrence of nuclear catastrophe is to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons.

We hope that the OEWG will achieve big successes in fulfilling the mandate of the resolution of the
UN General Assembly 77/33 to identify concrete and effective legal measures, legal provisions and norms
that will need to be concluded to attain and maintain a world without nuclear weapons. We assure youthat in solidarity with you we will continue our every effort to build worldwide movements and public
opinion in support of a total prohibition and the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs(Signed)Hiroshi TAKA
Co-Chair, Steering Committee           
Enclosure: Declaration of the International Meeting, 2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs

On August 4, the Organizing Committee of the World Conference sent the above letter to the
Chair of the U.N. Open-Ended Working Group, together with the copy of the Declaration of theInternational Meeting.

66

Opening Plenary
2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs-Hiroshima(August 4)

weapons, namely, the trends of 1) democracy, 2)
rule of law, 3) rejecting the deterrence doctrine,and 4) peaceful settlement of conflicts.
At the same time, I called your attention to thefact that in this A-bombed country the Abe
Government was working to destroy democracy
and constitutionalism, force through the so-called
War Laws, and thus embark along the path of amilitary response to international conflicts byresorting to collective self-defense. These actions
constitute a threat against all four current
developments.
Dear participants in the World Conference, inthe course of the past one year, the contrast
between the international community that ismoving ahead to strengthen democracy and rule oflaw, rejecting the notion of deterrence, andpromoting peaceful settlement of conflicts, and the
Abe Government, which runs counter to thesedevelopments, has become all the more clear.
In
the international community,theOpen-Ended Working Group (OEWG) was set up
as the result of the deliberation at the 2015 NPT
Review Conference.
Further, the UNGA
resolution to “substantively address concrete
effective legal measures, legal provisions andKeynote Address on Behalf of theOrganizer:
Tomida Koji
Drafting Committee Chairperson of theInternational Meeting
On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I
would like to present to you the Keynote Address,
which doubles as the report of the International
Meeting.
It will soon be 71 years since the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and we are
now facing a new situation: The forces ofConstitutional revision, who have trampled Article
9 under foot through revising their interpretation ofit, are now revealing their intention of actuallyrevising it. A broad strata of people, including
university and high-school students, young
mothers, scholars and many others, as well as the
opposition parties, however, are standing up
powerfully in cooperation against these forces.
Friends, in my Keynote Address last year, I
called on you to move forward, confident in thefour major irreversible trends of the international
community aiming for a world without nuclear
67

worse, when it was reported that President Obama,after visiting the A-bombed city Hiroshima as thefirst sitting President in May this year, moved to
examine a US policy of no first use of nuclear
weapons, the Japanese Government suggested to
the US administration that such a change would
weaken the role of the nuclear umbrella and lessen
the effect of nuclear deterrence. This is such anutter scandal that I have no other words to express
my disgust.
The Abe Government is not only a destroyer of
democracy, constitutionalism and pacifism, but isalso placing a major obstacle in the path of theinternational community working towards a world
without nuclear weapons. Let us reaffirm that it
is an international duty of the Japanese people toremove this obstacle and establish a governmentthat is committed to abolishing nuclear weapons
and promoting peace, a stance befitting the world’s
only A-bombed country.
Dear participants in the World Conference, I
am going to present the Organizer’s report bybriefly explaining the “Declaration of theInternational Meeting” of which you have a copy
in your hands. The Declaration begins with thedescription that 71 years ago the USA used nuclear
bombs for the first time against humanity byreleasing atomic bombs on Hiroshima andNagasaki. The two bombs brought about a hellon earth, where humans could neither lead ahumanly life nor die a humanly death.
The tremendous energy released by the nuclear
explosion turned into heat rays with a temperature
the surface of the sun. Shock waves exceeded the
speed of sound and lethal radiation was unleashedupon the two cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki andtheir residents. Burning and filled with radiation,
the two cities were instantly turned into an inferno.
Streets, houses and citizens were all wipedfrom the face of the earth. Those who barely
escaped immediate death later died due to burns
and acute symptoms of radiation damage. By theend of the year, about 140,000 people in Hiroshima
and 70,000 people in Nagasaki lost their lives. It
was the worst sort of mass destruction and massmurder in history.
Yet, the destruction and killings by the atomic
bombs did not end there. The Hibakusha whobarely escaped the hell of radiation later contracted
leukemia, cancer and other radiation diseases.
Even now, 71 years after the bombings, cancers,
liver diseases and various other disorders plague
the Hibakusha and threaten their lives.
The Hibakusha are tormented not only by
diseases but also deep wounds of the heart causedby their miserable experiences, the guilt of being
unable to save friends and family, and callous

norms that will need to be concluded to attain andmaintain a world without nuclear weapons” hasactually been functioning since February this year.
With the representatives of the Japan
Confederation of A-and H-bomb Sufferers’
Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), anti-nuclear
NGOs and other civil society organizations
participating, the OEWG held discussions, and isgoing to issue a report with recommendations to
the UNGA starting tomorrow, August 5. By now,
the overwhelming majority of the participating
governments have supported the commencementof negotiations of a treaty to prohibit nuclear
weapons, and a proposal to “convene a Conferencein 2017 … to negotiate a legally-binding
instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons” has been
set out. After discussions at the working group in
the second half of this month, the report of thedeliberation will be presented to the next Sessionof the UN General Assembly, which will start thiscoming September.
The “Declaration of the International meeting”
pointedly requests that “the OEWG include thecommencement of negotiations for a treaty to ban
and eliminate nuclear weapons in therecommendations submitted to the coming sessionof the UN General Assembly.”
I want toannounce to you that the Organizing Committee of
this conference is now submitting the Declaration
to the Open-Ended Working Group.
Friends, in the past one year, the international
community has made headway towards a world
without nuclear weapons. Let us deepen ourconviction on the irreversible trend of theinternational community for democracy, rule oflaw, rejecting the notion of deterrence, andattaining a peaceful settlement of conflict.
Now, let us look at the Abe Government’s steps
toward trampling democracy and constitutionalism
under foot by violently railroading the War Laws
through the Diet on the pretext of “consolidating
deterrence”. Then in the latest election of theHouse of Councilors, it succeeded in securing two
thirds of the seats required to propose the revisionof the Constitution by thoroughly concealing its
plan for revising it. And as soon as the election
was over, it started making explicit its
determination to revise the Constitution within
Abe’s tenure. The very nature of the Abe
Government as disrupter of democracy,
constitutionalism and pacifism is now thrown intorelief.
At the deliberations of the United Nation’s
Open-Ended Working Group, too, the Japanese
Government played the role of speaker for the
nuclear powers that boycotted it by arguing against
the legal control of nuclear weapons. Even

68

step-by-step approach is the only practical way;
they are clinging to the nuclear deterrence doctrine
by insisting that national security aspects also be
considered. Let us defeat every one of theseassertions.
Friends, as I said earlier in this report, the Abe
Government is playing a role as spokesperson forthenuclearpowersbyopposing
thecommencement of negotiations for a treaty toprohibit nuclear weapons. In Japan, tramplingunderfoot the peace principles of the Constitution,
which has its root in the national experience of thesuffering from the A-bombings, the Abe
Government forced through the War Laws and isproceeding with preparation to actively participate
in wars overseas. As the Declaration rightly says,at the root of its move is its reliance on theso-called US nuclear deterrent and the Abegovernment’s absolute faith in the Japan-US
military alliance.
Dear conference participants, the Declaration
notes that a wide range of people have risen up forthe abolition of the war laws and restoration of
constitutionalism, that against this background, theopposition parties entered into cooperation by
putting forward a united list of multi-party
candidates in the latest election of the House ofCouncilors, that the united candidate who opposed
the construction of a new US base in Okinawa
defeated an incumbent minister, and that theJapanese anti-nuclear and peace movements took
active part in these efforts. The Declaration thus
expressed international solidarity with the Japanesepeace movement in this struggle. Responding toit, let us take many more steps forward in ourpresent struggle.
Reaffirming that “the movements and public
opinion of the peoples of the world are the driving
force to make the world nuclear weapons-free, theDeclaration
proposed
three-point
actions,
beginning with the “International Signature
Campaign in Support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha for the Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons”, dissemination of the truth on thedamage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and relief forand solidarity with the Hibakusha.
To translate these proposed points into a richvariety of actions is the task now left for yourdiscussions in this year’s world conference. I
conclude my report by expressing my hope thatyou, all the participants, will be successful inhaving very fruitful discussions.

social discrimination. They have harbored
unbearable agony in every moment of their lives:
marriage or childbirth, poverty and lonelinesscaused by their disease or distress. Hundreds ofthousands of Hibakusha have undergone all sortsof hardships in their life, body, heart andsubsistence.
Friends, as the Declaration solemnly says, suchinhumane weapons should never be used in any
circumstances. Let us renew our voices, withwhich we started our movement, for “No More
Hiroshimas”, “No More Nagasakis” and “No More
Hibakushas”.
The nuclear powers still maintain more than
15,000 nuclear warheads. As the Declaration
points out, not a small number of them are on
trigger alert. Even the danger of an outbreak of
nuclear war stemming from deteriorating regional
tensions cannot be denied. A total ban, the totalelimination of nuclear weapons, remains an urgent
task for the survival of humanity.
Just asbiological and chemical weapons were outlawed
by international treaties, nuclear weapons should
also be prohibited as unlawful weapons.
Dear participants in the World Conference,with confidence, the Declaration points out that a
new move to open a door on a world without
nuclear weapons is developing. As I mentioned
at the beginning, this means substantive
discussions on a treaty banning and eliminating
nuclear weapons starting at the United Nations.
Having explained the course of events of theOpen-Ended Working Group, the Declaration
reaffirmed that through the 2015 NPT Review
Conference, the voices demanding legally binding
measures have expanded ever more widely. Itthen confirmed that the motive power of thesedevelopments was found in the worldwide
anti-nuclear and peace movements, led by the
Hibakusha, who have kept warning about theinhumanity and atrocity of nuclear weapons.
Friends, let us broaden these movements andstrengthen public support. Through dedicatedjoint efforts of citizens’ movements andinternational politics, let us win our long-standing
demand to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons bytreaty.
Dear conference participants, as the
Declaration points out, the five nuclear weapons
states and their allies are joining together
defensively in circling the wagons, trying to put amajor obstacle in the way of our achieving a
nuclear weapons-free world. This is now clear to
everyone’s eyes.
There is no reason or ethical cogency for theiropposition to an immediate step to ban andeliminate nuclear weapons: a gradual and69

importance of future-oriented thinking and thesignificance of visit to Hiroshima.
While the world focus was drawn to the
A-bombed cities, we feel encouraged by these
events and want to promote our efforts to achieve
the elimination of nuclear weapons and permanent
world peace. We in Hiroshima are going to keep
the reality of the A-bomb damage and memories
from oblivion, pass them on to the people in theworld, including the heads of States, and makethem known to the next generation. Further, we
would like to strengthen the activities of the
Mayors for Peace, for which I serve as thepresident and more than 7,000 cities have joined,
to increase the worldwide momentum for theelimination of nuclear weapons, and accelerate themovement toward a legally-binding prohibition of
nuclear weapons.
In order to achieve a “peaceful world without
nuclear weapons”, your cooperation and support isessential. In this context, your initiative to holdthe 2016 World Conference against A and H
Bombs is truly significant. I commend youreffort to mobilize such a large number ofpeace-loving participants to the conference andinherit the message of the Hibakusha. I wish thisconference will be successful in renewing people’s
resolution to work harder for peace.
In concluding, I wish you all good health andevery success in your work.

Greetings from Hiroshima Mayor:
Matsui Kazumi
Mayor of Hiroshima City
(Delivered by Tanimoto Mutsushi, Head of Citizens
Division)
I would like to convey my heartfelt greetings to
the 2016 World Conference against A and H
Bombs. I would like to thank you and extend awarm welcome to all of you on behalf of 1.19
million Hiroshima citizens. I also would like toexpress my heartfelt appreciation for yourcontinuous effort for achieving the abolition of
nuclear weapons and eternal peace of the world.
On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was reduced toashes by a single atomic bomb.
Tens ofthousands of citizens were burnt by the flames and
140,000 precious lives were lost by the end of theyear. People who barely survived had their lives
destroyed, and have suffered from serious
psychological and physical aftereffects as well as
discrimination and prejudice. Nuclear weapons
are the ultimate inhumanity, and the "absoluteevil".
People all live on the same earth beyond thedifferences of nationality, religion, language, etc.,
each person is living only one-time life with all
his/her might. In order to “live together”, wemust eliminate these “absolutely evil,” nuclear
weapons, and build a peaceful world. For thispurpose, Hiroshima believes that it is necessary to
make known to all of peoples of the world thereality of the A-bomb damage, to share
Hibakusha's earnest wish for peace and their strong
determination not to repeat the tragedy on anyone
else on earth, and to take action together.
This year, or the 71st year after the A-bombing,a new page was opened in the history of Hiroshima.
In April, the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting washeld in Hiroshima, in which the incumbent foreign
ministers of the G7 countries, including nuclear
powers and non-nuclear powers, gathered andreleased the declaration calling on the leaders of
the world to visit the A-bombed cities. And in
May, President Obama, as the first serving US
president, visited Hiroshima and mourned thevictims. What was originally scheduled to be a
few minutes’ speech turned out to last 17 minutes.
In his speech, President Obama addressed to theleaders of the nuclear powers, including the UnitedStates, saying, "We must have the courage toescape the logic of fear and pursue a world without
nuclear weapons". He also stressed that we mustreimagine our connection to one another as
members of one human race, indicating theGreetings from Guests:
Iwasa Mikiso
Co-Chairperson
Japan Confederation of A-and H-BombSufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo)
I am going to be 87 this year. I am deeply
moved to speak before the World Conference in its
61st year. When the First World Conference
against A and H Bombs was held in August 1955, I
was an assistant teacher at Kanazawa University.
Though I was unable to join the Ishikawa
Prefecture delegation to the Conference, I was onsummer vacation in my hometown in Hiroshima so
I went to the Peace Park, the site of the World
Conference. The Peace Museum was still to bebuilt there.
The World Conference was taking place at theinternational convention center in the western
corner of the park. It was overcrowded and I wasamong an audience of some 5,000 participantsfrom around the country who had to listen to the
speeches via the loudspeaker outside of the hall.
That was the moment I took my first step in the70Let us make every effort to achieve this. I
will close my speech by calling for a successfulinternational signature campaign.

peace movement calling for the elimination of
nuclear weapons as an atomic-bomb orphan.
When the Second World Conference was held,
the Japan Confederation of A- and H-BombSufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) was
founded. After that, Hibakusha associations wereformed in many parts of the country. When amomentum took place to launch Hibakushaorganizations in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1959, I was
promoted to be a full-time lecturer at the university.
After discussing with related organizations in theprefecture, we established the Ishikawa Prefecture
A-bomb Sufferers’ Association in 1960. I waselected as the first chairperson of the association.
We immediately join Nihon Hidankyo, and I
became a member of Hidankyo’s board of directors.
I began to pursue two jobs at the same time, a
Hidankyo’s director and a researcher at theuniversity. As described by the saying, “If you
run after two hares, you will catch neither,” I am
still only half finished with both tasks.
Unexpectedly, many people supported me in
one way or another, making it possible for me to bewhat I am today. I am grateful to everyone thathas helped me. I want to thank you very muchfor your assistance. I have been helped particularly
during my overseas speaking tours. It may bedifficult for me to travel to New York for the 2020
NPT Review Conference, but I should be able tocontinue with visits within Japan by slow train. I
would appreciate it if you ask me to come to see
you and tell my experience of exposure to atomic
bomb radiation and its aftereffects. Of course I
am not forcing you to invite me. Don’t worry
about it.
Finally, let me talk about something serious
and make a request. As you all know, on theoccasion of its 60th founding anniversary, Nihon
Hidankyo has launched a new internationalsignature collection campaign to call on all
national governments to sign a treaty banning andeliminating nuclear weapons.
Today, more than 70 years after the atomic
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hibakusha
are still suffering from their aftereffects. Theinternational signature campaign represents thewish for no more unbearable damage from nuclear
weapons. We are asking various organizations
and individuals to support it.
I hopeGensuikyo’s active support and cooperation will
stimulate other organizations to join the campaign.
In order to make the campaign be carried out inacross Japan and internationally, the activity of
Hidankyo alone will not be enough. We need tocount on support and cooperation from
Gensuikyo and other support organizations aroundthe world.

Nagao Utako
Lawyer/ Civil Alliance for Peace andConstitutionalism/ Mothers Against War
I am Nagao Utako, a member of the Civil
Alliance for Peace and Constitutionalism.
In the House of Councilors election held on
July 10, the ruling coalition of the Liberal
Democratic and Komei parties and four otherpro-constitutional revision parties obtained 77
seats, making their seats 161 in total, together with
their uncontested seats. Adding 4 independentseats supporting constitutional amendments, their
total number of seats exceeded 162, two-thirds ofthe 262-seat House.
Throughout his election campaign, Prime
Minister Abe Shinzo made no mention of
constitutional revision in order to hide his intention
as if it had not been a point at issue.
Under such circumstances, the four opposition
parties – the Democratic, Japanese Communist,
Social Democratic, and People’s Life parties –agreed to cooperate in this national election, which
was the first time in Japan’s political history.
They put up joint opposition candidates in all 32
single-seat constituencies across the country andwon in 11 districts. Especially in both theconstituencies of Okinawa and Fukushima, joint
opposition candidates defeated incumbent cabinet
ministers.
This marked a significant advance, comparing
to the result of the previous election held 3 years
ago, in which the opposition forces won in only 2of all 31 single-seat constituencies.
The Asahi Shimbun reported on July 12 that in
the Upper House election, the ratio of votes
garnered by a joint opposition candidate to a totalof the proportional representation votes obtainedby the four opposition parties in the same
constituency stood at 1.71 to 1 at the highest.
The paper also pointed out that at 28 single-seatconstituencies of all 32, unified opposition
candidates got more votes than those of the four
opposition parties. These results clearly showthat the alliance of the opposition parties hasachieved a definitive success.
It is extremely significant that growing civic
movements pushed the back of the opposition
parties to collaborate in the election. A wide
strata of citizens, including scholars, students,
workers, and young parents, who raised their
voices against nuclear power generation, the Act71

on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets,
and the security laws, also joined the election
campaign.
From a long-term perspective, I
believe that this experience will contribute to thedevelopment of democracy in Japan.
It is true, however, that we could not preventthe revisionist forces from obtaining two-thirds ofthe House of Councilors.
As soon as the election results came out, PM
Abe declared he would start discussion on theConstitution this autumn in the Commission on it
in both Houses, with an aim to prepare for therevision of the Constitution.
According to its website, the LDP draft
amendments include:
To delete from thePreamble of the present Constitution the entire partthat says “resolved that never again shall we be
visited with the horrors of war through the actionof government, do proclaim that sovereign power
resides with the people”; to add a new provision
declaring the possession of national defense forces
to Article 9; to delete a word “individuals” fromindividual dignity stipulated by Article 13 andinstead include an emergency clause, which canlead to the suspension of the Constitution, torestrict people’s rights in the event of emergency.
The LDP draft runs head-on counter to the idealsof the existing Constitution.
We should not allow such LDP draft
constitution to be approved, let alone entrust
politics to the current government led by PM Abe
who has a long-cherished wish to revise theConstitution.
From several opinion polls, we found thatwhile the intention of revising the constitution was
hidden, we could not sweep away the delusion of“Abenomics” nor make adequately known tovoters the policies of the opposition camp tocounter the ruling parties. As a result, we could
not make the people fully understand the danger ofthe security laws and of the destruction of
constitutionalism facing them.
The joint struggle of opposition parties weachieved in this election is just a start. With thenext House of Representatives election in mind,
we have to further mature the united struggle interms of both policies and organizing.
Only by defending the Constitution thatdeclares to the world to build a truly peaceful
Japan based on the deep remorse over the past warof aggression which deprived a large number ofpeople of their lives, can we achieve a nuclear
weapon-free, peaceful and just world. Let us
work together.

Statement by the Former U.N. High
Representative:
Sergio Duarte
Former U.N. High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)
For the past 12 years or so I have visited thecity of Hiroshima at least 9 times, if I counted
correctly. In some of these visits I have been theguest of the Organizing Committee of the World
Conference against A and H bombs and have had
the occasion to discuss with you issues related tomultilateral efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament
and the abolition of nuclear weapons. I am
grateful for your hospitality and for the chance tolisten to your own concerns and ideas.
In coming to Hiroshima I cannot fail to pay
tribute to all men, women and children who
perished here and in Nagasaki on the mornings ofAugust 6th and 9th 1945 and to the courage anddetermination of those who survive and theirdescendants – the hibakusha – for their continuing
dedication to the cause of peace and disarmament.
The search for concrete, effective measures ofnuclear disarmament and the complete eliminationof nuclear weapons is an uphill battle. There isreason for guarded optimism, but the hard fact isthat the achievements in this field are much below
the expectations of the public everywhere in theworld. Nations that possess nuclear weapons do
not seem inclined to accept legally binding
obligations to enter into meaningful negotiations,with clear timelines for the completion of thedismantling of their nuclear armament.
However, over the seventy years since nuclear
weapons started to proliferate in the world some
important landmark agreements have beenreached. The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons was concluded in 1970. Only
four nations in the world are not Parties to the
NPT, and none of its 185 Non-nuclear Parties haveacquired nuclear weapons. Nuclear testing in theatmosphere was prohibited in 1963 and theprohibition was extended to all environments in1996 with the Comprehensive Test-ban Treaty(CTBT). Although this treaty is not yet into
force, all States possessing nuclear weapons – withthe sad exception of North Korea – have notcarried out any underground tests for the past
eighteen years or so. Nevertheless, as I pointed
out, the treaty is not legally in force. For the CTBT
to become a part of positive international law it isnecessary that eight States – the United States,
China, Israel, India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt andNorth Korea – sign and/or ratify it. It is importantthat world public opinion understand the need for a72

group held a number of meetings in 2016 and its
report will be discussed at the forthcoming Sessionof the General Assembly. Support for a proposal
to negotiate a Convention banning the use of
nuclear weapons is increasing among Member
States of the United Nations.
Unfortunately, the States possessing nuclear
weapons and some of their allies chose not toparticipate in the work of this Group. They still
adhere to the belief that their nuclear arsenals
protect their security. They forget, however, thata nuclear war will have no victors – all those
involved in the conflict will be losers, including
they themselves and perhaps the remainder of thehuman race.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As I look around this room I see many faces ofyoung and not so young people who have comehere to remember the tragedy of Hiroshima andNagasaki seventy-one years ago and to affirm theirfaith that one day the whole world will be freefrom the fear of destruction by nuclear war. In
1945 I was living half a world away from here in
my own country, but was already old enough tounderstand the enormity of the holocaust of almost
two hundred thousand people in both cities.
During my life as a diplomat I have dealt withissues related to peace and disarmament ininternational organizations and conferences.
Today I work as a private citizen and no longer
have to follow the instructions and rules of any
government or international organization. I speak
freely as a human being but I have the sameconviction that guided me through my years as acivil servant of my own country and of the United
Nations.
Just like you, I believe in thefundamental right of human beings to live in peaceand harmony, free of the fear of instantannihilation in a nuclear exchange between
countries that have predicated their security on theinsecurity of all, including they themselves. At
the opening of the International Conference, I was
asked to give advice to activists for disarmament.
All I can say is that you are doing a very good job.
Nuclear weapon States and their allies are on the
defensive. The report from the Open-Ended
Working Group will endorse the will of the wide
majority of members of the United Nations to startnegotiations on a convention to ban nuclear
weapons. I congratulate your determination towork toward the achievement of the abolition of all
nuclear weapons.
Please keep your faith and your spirits high.

ban on all nuclear weapon tests for all time.
Meanwhile, the system of detection put in place by
the Treaty Provisional Secretariat has been usefulfor early warning of seismic movements that may
cause deadly tsunamis.
Other multilateral achievements in the nuclear
field include the establishment of nuclear weapon
free zones in five regions of the world andMongolia, for a total of 113 countries whose
territories are free of nuclear weapons.
All these agreements have helped significantly
in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
However, there is still much to be done in thefield of nuclear disarmament. The two States
possessing the largest nuclear arsenals haveworked over the past decades to reduce theirstockpiles. As they inform us, from a peak of
about 70,000 nuclear weapons at the height of theCold War, there remain around 15,000-plus such
weapons in the world today.
Despite thisconsiderable reduction, there is little consolation in
observing that this is more than enough to wipe out
civilization on the planet, even if but a small
fraction of that number is ever used in a nuclear
war. Three international conferences attended bygovernments,
experts
andcivilsocietyorganizations in 2013 and 2014 concluded that nonation or group of nations possesses enoughhuman and material resources to deal with thehumanitarian emergency caused by nuclear
detonations. The effects on the environment
would be devastating and those who survive a
nuclear conflict might not be fortunate enough toescape starvation and the destruction of thestructure and foundation of civilized interaction
among human beings. As I have said on previous
occasions, if the community of nations does notreverse the trend toward climate change, life onearth may cease to exist as we know it in a few
decades; but if mankind does not eliminate thedanger inherent in nuclear weapons, life on earth
as we know it may cease to exist in a few seconds.
At the 2010 Review Conference, all Parties to
the NPT, including the five nuclear weapon States,
agreed to express concern over the catastrophic
effect of any nuclear detonation. Later on, at theGeneral Assembly of the United Nations, 125
States subscribed to the Humanitarian Pledge
proposed by Austria and committed to “stigmatize,prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons in light of
their unacceptable humanitarian consequences andassociated risks”.
Last year the General
Assembly adopted a resolution establishing an
Open-ended Working Group to address concrete
effective legal measures, legal provisions, andnorms that will need to be concluded to attain andmaintain a world without nuclear weapons. This73

differences and exchanging opinions. From here,
the A-bombed city of Hiroshima, to the rest of theworld, we vow to continue our effort, hoping that it
will be a steady step for the total elimination of
nuclear weapons.

Appeal from the A-Bombed City
Hiroshima to the World:
Representatives of Hibakusha
Organizations in Hiroshima:
Sakuma Kunihiko
Hiroshima Council of A-Bomb Sufferers(Hiroshima Hidankyo)

Maeda Koichiro
Hiroshima Federation of A-Bomb Sufferers
Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo)

We are representatives of seven Hibakushaorganizations. I am Sakuma Kunihiko, director
general of the Hiroshima Council of A-BombSufferers. I would like to express my gratitude
for inviting me to the Opening Plenary of the 2016
World Conference against A and H Bombs. The
representatives of all the seven organizations weregoing to take part in this plenary at first, but someof them could not make it because they had toattend other events taking place right now. So,
four of the seven are present today. This is asignature form for the “International Signature
Campaign in Support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha for the Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons,” which has the names of the seven
Hibakusha organizations and their representatives
as “campaign initiators in Hiroshima”.
We
produced it in the hope that people in Hiroshima
would feel familiar with the campaign and support
it easily. We call on as many groups andindividuals as possible to participate in thiscampaign. The seven Hibakusha organizations
held a press conference on July 14 and spoke about
our action agenda, as following.
The first task was signature collection activity.
On July 14, under the fierce summer heat, we took
to the streets near Motoyasu Bridge with thisbanner and jointly collected signatures for half anhour. Second, the seven organizations agreed to
ask their friend groups for their cooperation. We
are now working on this. Third, we decided totake part in this summer’s World Conference
against A and H Bombs to promote thesignature-collection campaign, which was thus
realized. Fourth, we decided to ask support fromcelebrities. We will start to garner their support
as soon as possible.
By the way, on the day after tomorrow, August
6, the seven Hibakusha organizations will have ameeting with Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to convey
our requests to him. At the meeting, we are going
to touch on this international signature campaign.
The seven Hibakusha organizations have worked
thus hard, although each has a lot of activities to doat this time of the year.
We, the seven Hibakusha organizations, willkeep working together, respecting each other’s

My name is Maeda Koichiro. I came here on
behalf of one of the seven organizations, another
Hiroshima Hidankyo. By the way, everyone, do
you know the average age of Hibakusha? As of
March, it surpassed 80 years old. Sakuma told
you about the international signature campaign insupport of the Hibakusha Appeal. It will continue
for five years from now. Some Hibakusha are ingood health, so they may enjoy a long life.
However, all of you gathering at this conference,both young and old, please keep in your mind that
Hibakusha will definitely be over 85 years old infive years. Hibakusha has played an importantrole in preventing the use of nuclear weapons
through transmitting their testimonies and appeals
on how dangerous and horrible nuclear weaponsare. What will happen if they get unable to do
so? Taking over the Hibakusha’s desire, I willcollect signatures together with you, deliver thecollected ones to the United Nations, and want tohelp pave the way for the abolition of nuclear
weapons before Hibakusha’s time runs out. I ask
for your cooperation and support for theinternational signature drive from my heart.

Kwon Jun O
Special Task Force for South Korean
A-bomb Casualties
Hello. I’m here on behalf of Korean A-bomb
survivors in Japan.
In his latest speech, U.S. President Obama said
that 4,000 North and South Korean people werevictimized by the A-bombing. This is wrong.
At that time, over 80,000 people from the Korean
Peninsula were living in Hiroshima. I’m a second
generation Hibakusha. I will take over the desireof those who were killed by the A-bomb andcollect signatures together with you to create aworld without nuclear weapons. I hope thissignature campaign will get your warm support
and cooperation and develop so as to contribute to
the abolition of nuclear weapons.

74

No more Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki! No
more Agent Orange/dioxin!  Justice for
Hibakushas! Justice for Vietnamese Agent
Orange/dioxin victims!
As I mentioned before in the International
Meeting, in response to the international signature
campaign in support of the Appeal of the
Hibakushas for the elimination of nuclear
weapons, we have started to collect millions ofsignatures from people’s organizations across thecountry this year, and we got over 80 thousand
signatures.
Here, I would like to also hand oversymbolically some of the signatures to Hibakusha
representatives who are dedicating for thiscampaign.

Kim Jin Ho
Hiroshima Prefectural Council of North
Korean Hibakusha
Hello, everyone.
I really admire yourpersistent work for the abolition of nuclear
weapons you have continued despite summer heat.
My name is Kim Jin Ho. I’m a member of theHiroshima Prefectural Council of North Korean
Hibakusha. I was exposed to atomic bombradiation while still in my mother’s womb. The
goal of abolishing nuclear weapons is shared not
only by the Hibakusha but also by sensible people
in the world. Encouraged by growing worldwide
momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons,
the seven Hibakusha organizations in Hiroshima
decided to join hands and launch this signature
campaign. Now is the time for us to get united
firmly and promote this campaign. I hope you
will continue to support us.

Bui Lien Huong
Vietnam Peace Committee
Vietnam
I am much honored to hand over the message
of solidarity from the State President of Vietnam to
the World Conference against A and H Bombs andthe signatures to support the Hibakusha in thisOpening Plenary.
This is the tenth message sent to ourConference by Vietnam’s State President since2005. This expresses Vietnam’s aspiration for apeaceful world without nuclear weapons andweapons of mass destruction.
Japan’s tragedy is similar to that in Vietnam,
where millions of AO victims are living in pain, so
it is easy to understand our President’s feelings andsympathy with all losses and sufferings of the
Hibakusha and all war victims.
Great efforts have been made, but here andthere in the world, nuclear weapons and weaponsof mass destruction are still being developed,
tested, produced and used to protect the so-call“national security”. Here and there in the world,
war and conflict are still threatening peace, forces
are still being used in defiance of international law.
However, I myself am strongly confident thatthe aspiration of leaders for a peaceful world will
inspire us, peace movements and people
organisations across the world, to continue ourstruggle.
May I wish again for a peaceful conference, fora beautiful world free from nuclear weapons, andfor the good health and happiness of all of you
here present.

Struggles and Campaigns for a
Nuclear Weapon-Free, Peaceful andJust World:
Ray Matsumiya
Executive Director
University of the Middle East Project
U.S.A.
Good Afternoon. I am the Executive Directorof the University of the Middle East Project, an
American NGO.
The University of the Middle East works withteachers in the Middle East to promote innovativeeducational methodologies and cross cultural

75

live before she died of radiation sickness. They
will tell their students why another Hiroshima cannever happen again. Like my grandfather andmother, these teachers will also spread the lessonof Hiroshima!
These teachers come from a difficult andtumultuous region. For this reason, please join
me in giving them a warm round of applause for
their future efforts in spreading the lesson ofHiroshima to their region.

relations.
I am a Nisei, so please forgive my Japanese,usually I speak in English or Arabic but because I
am in Japan, in front of a Japanese audience, and I
am also Japanese, I will do my best and give myspeech in Japanese. Please forgive me for any
mispronunciations.
I am here to talk about the lesson of Hiroshima
and how my family has spread this lesson for over
70 years.
71 years ago my grandfather was a volunteer
firefighter in Hiro. Hiro is now in Kure City,
close to Hiroshima city.
When the bomb fell on Hiroshima, he tried togo immediately to the city. But before he left thehouse, my grandmother stopped him.
My
grandmother loved food and she was a great chef.
Food was at the center of her world. She thoughtthat food was something that was necessary andneeded for all people, no matter how terrible thecircumstances. So she made four big omusubi
rice balls and gave them to my grandfather.
When my grandfather arrived in Hiroshima, hewitnessed Hell. Everyone he met in Hiroshima
only wanted two things before they died. The
first was water, the second was their mothers. On
August 6, 1945, my grandfather left home with 4
omusubis and also went back home with four
omusubis.
One month later, my grandfather's hair fell out
and he became blind in one eye. For the rest of
his life, he told everyone what that eye had seen in
Hiroshima. In every conversation, he said thatthe tragedy of Hiroshima should never be repeated.
That was my grandfather’s lesson of Hiroshima.
My mother also spread the lesson ofHiroshima. She left Hiro, moved to Tokyo andthen lived in Boston. I remember well the times
she made a new friend and brought them to ourhouse. She would always tell them about thelesson of Hiroshima. Sometimes they would
come back and other times they wouldn’t.
My grandfather spread the message ofHiroshima in Japan, and my mother spread thelesson of Hiroshima in America. Now I am
spreading the message of Hiroshima to a new partof the world.
This week, the 12 teachers from the Middle
East sitting here will be here in Hiroshima. They
will see the genbaku (A-bomb) dome. They will
listen to the stories of Hibakusha. They will
smell the incense memorializing the dead.
Most important, they will feel in their hearts
how deeply the people of Hiroshima want peace.
When they go back to their countries, they will telltheir students what happened here. They will telltheir students about Sadako's courage and will toPark Jung Eun
People’s Solidarity for Participatory
Democracy
Republic of Korea
A vicious circle of the security dilemma:
Nuclear Threats and MD introduction on the
Korean Peninsula
71 years ago, the atomic bombs were dropped
on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which broughtcatastrophic humanitarian consequences, not only
to the Japanese people, but also around 70,000
Korean workers who had been forcibly taken to
Japan. As a result of the Cold War, the Korean
Peninsula was divided and finally torn apart by the
Korean War. The Korean peninsula has become
the powder keg of East Asia.
An unrealistic resolution like hostility andcontainment ended in failure.
This year, the North has carried out the fourth
nuclear test. North Korea clearly expressed its
will to keep the regime with human extinction
weapons. It is very sad and miserable that North
Korea relies on threatening not only the Korean
Peninsula but also international society. No state
has the right to possess and test such inhuman andmass destructive weapon. As seen in the nuclear
history, its development in the name of nuclear
deterrence simply has accelerated nuclear arms
race and endangered the peace and security ofhuman race.
The US and South Korean governments havefailed to suggest a realistic measure to stop it. It
has insisted that hostile disregard, sanctions andoppressions could deter but they haven’t workedout.
The history of North Korea's nuclear program
demonstrates that when dialogue and negotiations
were pursued, Pyeongyang suspended its nuclear
program. The reverse was the case when the
North saw itself as the target of pressure in thename of “hostile neglect” or “strategic patience”.
In those conditions North Korea intensified its
nuclear program activities and developed
76

long-range missile capabilities.
DemandingNorth Korea’s dismantling its nuclear program as aprerequisite to any dialogue, automaticallyperpetuates the long-standing deadlock. This
attitude does nothing to help solve problems.
Moreover, the already-dangerous situation in
the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia is
becoming even more unpredictable.
There were series of shocking agreement andmeasures by the South government. The first isan agreement regarding sexual slave for Japanesesoldiers between the South and Japan lastDecember. They said it’s “final and irreversible”
resolution. But the agreement hardly reflected
the wishes of the victims, nor did the process
involve any participation by the victims. It’s ameasure of removing an obstacle for strengtheningof military cooperation between ROK-Japan andUS.
The second is that last February the South
Korean government announced the closure of
Kaesong Industrial Complex, citing North Korea’s
4th nuclear test and launching of a long-range
rocket as reasons. The government argues thatapproximately 120 million USD paid to workers at
Kaesong Industrial Complex has been used indevelopment of nuclear weapons and missiles
without any grounds.
The Third, last month the South Korean
government and the US announced that they will
deploy THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area
Defense System) to South Korea in Seongju, North
Gyeongsang Province. There is no such an“adequate” location to place THAAD in ourcountry.
THAAD is not a weapons system for the
residents of the Korean Peninsula. THAAD isessentially a part of the US Missile Defense
System (MD). Deployment of THAAD to South
Korea signifies that South Korea will be sucked
into the US-Japan MD, which targets not only
North Korea but also China and that the
Korea-US-Japan military cooperation system will
become official.
THAAD deployment is militarily anddiplomatically self-destructive measure.
It isobvious that this will also negatively affect theinternational cooperation to solve the nuclear
problem in the Korean Peninsula.
The non-democratic and non-transparent
decision process is also problematic. Before
announcing THAAD deployment, there were notany discussions, and any evaluations of its use,
effects, and military/diplomatic significance.
There was not enough discussion even withingovernment. In the case of Seongju, which was
decided as the location for THAAD deployment,

the residents were only notified by news without
any explanation.
We, Korean people don’t want the Korean
Peninsula to be a powder keg competinghegemony and arms race. We hope the Korean
Peninsula to transform as the stepping stone ofNortheast Asian peace and cooperation.
Facing the serious situation of nuclear threats
and THAAD deployment, we need to discussand apply new perspectives and methods even if
it is difficult.
For this, we are going to form solidarity tofacilitate the reconciliation and the cooperation of
North and South Korea and to form a peacefulsystem. We are going to actively spread actions
for the withdrawal of the decision to place
THAAD. We are going to form solidarity toprevent Seongju from becoming another victim ofstate violence, like Pyeongtaek or Jeju Gangjeong
village.
Above all, we believe that it’s time tochallenge and stop the militarism which has been
supported and justified in the name of national
security. It only brings another military postureand development of fatal weapons. It only
sacrifices the citizens’ safety and other social
investment. It only satisfies the defense industry.
Those are truth that we have learned from theconflicts so long time. It’s time to stop repeatingsuch a stupid policy and start to discuss sociallyand globally how to overcome the militarism we’refacing now.

Paul Kawika Martin
Peace Action
U.S.A.
Peace Action’s Use of Grassroots for Peace andNuclear Abolition
Let me first thank Gensuikyo for yourhospitality. Additionally, I would like to giveappreciation to the Hibakushiya. You play an
immeasurable role reminding humanity of thehorrors of nuclear weapons.
Second, I want to apologize that myGovernment dropped immoral nuclear weapons on
this country.
On behalf of Peace Action’s
150,000 supporters and the more than 80% of
Americans who believe we should abolish nuclear
weapons, we apologize for the horrors caused to all
the victims.
Peace Action is the United States’ largest peaceand disarmament organization with 100 chaptersnationwide.
Our current campaigns include
removing troops from Afghanistan and Iraq,
77petitions and providing advice about why it was
important to tour Hiroshima and meet with
Hibakusha. This was the result of years ofcoalition efforts directed at the U.S. Government.
While we wanted the President to mention someconcrete steps during his visit, it is clear he mightannounce something soon.
You don’t have to be in the U.S. to change
American strategy. You, too, can affect U.S.
policy makers in three ways: via the media,
government to government communication andsupport of U.S. NGOs. I encourage your leaders
to write letters to the editors or submit opinion
editorials to U.S. newspapers like the New YorkTimes.
I encourage you to pressure yourgovernment to contact our government.
Especially right now as Obama reconsiders no firstuse policy.
These communications can beadministration to administration or Diet toCongress. Lastly, I would humbly request you to
support U.S. NGOs who work on nuclear weapon
issues. Almost all of them do not get any
governmental funding and their size is muchsmaller than other advocacy organizations likeenvironmental, labor or human rights. You can
support by sending staff, volunteers or interns towork with groups in the Unites States or bysupporting financially.
Let me end by reminding us that all majorsocial change in the world occurred because of
grassroots organizing. When your energy is low,think of the amazing victories of our predecessors:
the suffrage movement, the civil rights movement
and more. Your work will be written in history
books and will inspire other movements. So
continue with pride, purpose and power!
Thank you again for the continued friendshipbetween Gensuikyo and Peace Action and knowthat our work together will one day bring about aworld free of nuclear weapons. Please stay intouch with me through Twitter. My Twitter
handle is @PaulKawika. Because as the Kenyan
proverb wisely points out, “sticks in a bundle areunbreakable.” Domo Arigato Gozaimashita.

non-military solutions to the conflicts in Syria andwith ISIS, supporting the Iran nuclear agreement,
reducing the military budget and lastly, the issue
we were founded on nearly sixty years ago,abolishing nuclear weapons.
Today, I will explain how my organization uses
the grassroots to influence the U.S. Government
towards nuclear abolition. I will conclude bysuggesting some ways that you, too, can shape
American policies.
Peace Action’s grassroots represents about150-200,000 people — they are everyday people
that care about our issues and are willing to takeaction.
Our grassroots can show lawmakers that voterswant action on nuclear abolition. We hold lobby
meetings with Congress members.
In thesemeetings, we bring influential members of society
from their district or state. People who have theability to influence the actions of voters or politicalcontributions.
Also, we generate constituent contacts so thatelected officials feel pressured by voters. We do
this by organizing calls, emails, letters andquestions at public events. Politicians assume
that for every letter or contact they receive; several
hundred voters feel the same way.
Additionally, the media can influence policy.
Our grassroots write letters to the editor which areread by politicians. They can hold protests,
rallies and events that garner favorable media
coverage.
They raise money to purchaseadvertising to sway voters. Lastly, our experts
publish opinion editorials that can impact elections
and policy.
Grassroots can affect elections. By making
sure they vote, volunteer and give money to theright candidates, we can elect Congress members
and Presidents who are likely to work on nuclear
disarmament.
While our grassroots hold a certain amount ofpolitical power.
Joining them with otherorganizations and movements in a coalition
working together strategically can wield significant
political power to leverage governments to takeaction.
Let me provide you with the example ofPresident Obama’s visit to Hiroshima. Since hetook office we have been pressuring theAdministration. We worked with them to get the
New START Treaty negotiated and ratified. We
wrote opinion editorials and letters to the editor.
We sent thousands of emails and signed thousandsof petitions. We pressured Congress to support
his decision and to urge him privately andpublically to visit Hiroshima. Finally, we met
with the White House delivering several boxes of78

from the beginning that it would be a toughcampaign but declared my candidacy because I
wanted to speak for people who treasureconstitutionalism and who wish to make the bestuse of the pacifism provided by the Constitution’s
Article 9.
Although I suffered an utter loss, I received
183,000 votes, which I take as Yamaguchi people’s
earnest wish to defend constitutionalism and thepeace Constitution. We must continue to increase
this voice.
Given what we gained through my recent
election campaign, I came to acutely realize theneed to build a united movement like a “citizens’
front for peace” embracing people regardless ofpolitical party or organization affiliation. I plan
to propose it in future.

Relay Talk: “Developing grass-roots
cooperation for a nuclear-free andpeaceful Japan where Article 9 of theConstitution will be given full play”:
Koketsu Atsushi
Professor Emeritus of Yamaguchi
University/ Joint Candidate of Opposition
Parties in the House of Councilors
Election 2016
The Constitution is an apparatus that the people
use to have the state comply with in quest ofvalues to defend in it. The basic legal idea of
constitutionalism is to limit state power based on
the values that must not be changed even by amajority vote.
The present Constitution cites respect forhuman rights, people’s sovereignty, and pacifism
as principles that must be defended.
War is a matter of major concern of theConstitution. Constitutionalism is supposed toput brakes on state power in regard to war. The
present Constitution was established after drawing
lessons from Japan’s long war of aggression. It
invokes pacifism and declares, at home andinternationally, that Japan will never become anaggressor or victim.
The lessons we learned from history and ourrespect for postwar peace have been deeply
damaged when the Liberal Democratic
Party-Komeito coalition government led by Prime
Minister Abe Shinzo railroaded the security-related
laws through the Diet. Laws are subject to thestandards set by the Constitution, the country’s
Supreme Law.
Therefore, no law that
contravenes the constitutional principles must be
acceptable.
At a meeting of a House of Councilors
committee on March 18, director of the Cabinet
Legislation Bureau Yusuke Yokobatake said, “I
don’t think that the use of all types of nuclear
weapons is prohibited.” On April 1, the Cabinet
approved a written answer to a question, statingthat the Constitution’s Article 9 does not impose ablanket ban on the possession and use of nuclear
weapons.
These views must be severely
criticized in this forum calling for the abolition of
nuclear weapons and peace.
The Constitution, which is a critical bulwark of
the antinuclear and peace movement, is on theverge of collapse.
This sense of crisis has pushed me to run in theHouse of Councilors election from the Yamaguchi
constituency. Yamaguchi is Prime Minister Abe’sconstituency and is very conservative. I knew

Maruyama Minoru
Nagano Gensuikyo
For a Nuclear-free, Peaceful Japan Where
Article 9 Shines, Let’s Increase Grassroots
Cooperation
Lessons learned from election campaign in
Nagano: In Nagano prefecture, where we are
from, united opposition candidate Sugio Hideya
won in the recent House of Councilors election
with 70,000 more votes than his rival backed by
the ruling coalition – the Liberal Democratic Party
and Komeito. Sugio’s votes exceeded total votes
the opposition parties obtained in previous
elections.
He was supported by 60% of
non-partisan voters, and Nagano’s voter turnout
was 62%, the highest of all the prefectures inJapan. We successfully brought non-partisan
citizens together and demonstrated the great
potential of the joint efforts between the opposition
parties and the citizens. The Democratic Party’s
Secretary General said, “The joint effort of the
opposition parties and citizens built on mutual
confidence brought us a victory,” and leaders of
the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic
Party attended the Japanese Communist Party’s
94th anniversary reception for the first time inhistory. All these show the strength of the bondamong opposition parties and citizens.
A major factor which made it possible for four
opposition parties and citizens to unite was thepeople’s mobilization against the war legislation
spread out rapidly like wildfire with calls like
“Scrap War Laws!”, “Defend the Constitution!”and “Opposition Parties, Unite!” resounding
throughout the prefecture. First ever “villagers’
demonstration” in a small village or “pickup truck79

petition can bring the broadest sections of people,
and that we should build up an organization andmovement with the participation of a wide-ranging
people. On August 1st, the five organizations
jointly carried out a signature drive in front ofNagano Station. It received a lot of media attention
as well as a strong response from the public.
Behind the smooth progress of united effort
regarding the signature campaign this time isample experiences of joint efforts among citizens
and opposition parties for the repeal of war
legislation, for the restoration of constitutionalism,
and for the victory of joint candidate in the Houseof Councilors’ election. Cooperation between thefive organizations is also consolidated.
In Nagano, we have achieved having more thanhalf the population sign for the Appeal from
Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the elimination of
nuclear weapons. We also have an experience of
20 years’ effort to insert an opinion ad with thenames of 3,000 people calling for nuclear abolitionin the local newspaper Shinano Mainichi Shimbun.
The five organizations are discussing to joint
secretariat for promoting a prefecture-widelarge-scale movement beyond differences of
opinion, thoughts of creed. I am certain that thesuccess of united effort in this signature campaign
will give the power for creating “All Nagano”
movement on various issues in the future.
Hoping that this power of unity will make a great
contribution to realizing a government ready towork for the abolition of nuclear weapons andpeace, I will do my utmost to this end.

demonstration” with tens of trucks marching
together became this year’s buzzwords. Also,mothers stood up for their children to form
“mothers’ association,” young people started to
speak out as sovereign individuals, citizens’organizations evolved from their initial movement
against nuclear power generation into the
movement against the state secrets law, and theninto the movement against the war legislation, andmany women organized their own initiatives called“red actions.” These kinds of new activism of
citizens who had never been involved in the
movement working tirelessly and energeticallygave encouragement and added momentum to thecooperation among opposition parties and citizens.
This momentum led to the success of the rally
jointly hosted by six civil organizations including
the “Anti-war Committee of 1000” and the local“Article 9 Association”. We also succeeded inachieving our goal of collecting 400,000 signaturesin Nagano for the “20-million signature campaign”
calling for the retraction of the war legislation.
During the election campaign, we also took
active part in the Nationwide Peace March,chanting the calls like “Abolish nuclear weapons!”,“Scrap war laws!” and “Protect the Constitution!”,which received a lot of positive responses.
Making the best use of lessons we learned fromthe joint effort of the opposition parties andcitizens during the election campaign, I will
redouble my effort under the circumstances withthe pro-constitutional revision forces holding thetwo-thirds of the seats in the Diet, to further
increase civil movements and public awareness to
defend the Constitution and to block the attempt torevise the Constitution to insert an emergency
provision.
I am convinced that what we
experienced and the power we gained through theunited effort will bear fruit in the form ofconcerted effort in the ongoing “International
Signature Campaign in Support of the Appeal of
Hibakusha for the Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons”.
Our goals and determination in current andfuture struggles: In Nagano, five organizations:
Nagano A-bomb Sufferers’ Association, Nagano
Prefecture Teachers and Staffs Union, Nagano
Consumers’ Co-operative Union, Nagano Congressagainst A and H Bombs (Gensuikin), and Nagano
Gensuikyo, started consultations on how we candevelop concerted efforts for promoting the“International Signature Campaign in Support of
the Appeal of Hibakusha for the Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons”. Through discussions, wehave reached a consensus for working together
based on the shared understanding that no one
would oppose this signature campaign, that theReports on the Nationwide Peace
March - International Youth Relay
Marchers:
Raymond Vincent Lujan
Guahan Coalition for Justice and Peace
Guam
Minna-san Konnichiwa.
Hafa Adai! And I’d like to start off by justthanking Gensuikyo, the Peace March organizers,
and most importantly, the people of Japan forwelcoming me and allowing me to participate inthis beautiful and necessary cause. I’m a young
man but I found myself growing cynical of someof the world’s issues, but it was coming here andseeing your spirit of peace that assured me thatthings can get done if we work together, andinspired me to fight for what I think and believe isright. And with that being said, I stand andsupport your movements to advocate for theabolition of nuclear weapons, for a peaceful andjust world, and once again, thank you very much.
80

Let us continue to raise our voices together toachieve the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Matet (Mary Therese) Norbe
Communication and Media Officer
Mindanao People’s Peace Movement
The Philippines

Kim Jung Geun
Korean Civic Network for Justice in Sport
Republic of Korea

Minna-san konnichiwa! First of all I would
like commend all the peace marchers, who under
the heat of the sun and the downpour of the rain,
have continuously marched all the courses, allthroughout Japan, to call for the abolition of
nuclear weapons and to call for peace. I comefrom Mindanao which has internal wars since the1970s, and I come from a peace movement to stop
the war in Mindanao. And this participation in
the Heiwa Koshin, or the Peace March, is a very
important step for us in building and strengthening
global solidarity for peace. To the Hibakusha’s
and to all the peace advocates and peace activists
in Japan, we are with you in this struggle. Until
the time that the nuclear power and nuclear
weapons are not abolished we will continue to bewith you in this struggle. No more Hiroshima!
No more Nagasaki!
No more Hibakusha!
Ganbaro!

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Kim
Jung Geun from the Republic of Korea. My
whole body felt Japan while walking from
Nagasaki to Hiroshima. During the march, thiswish came to my mind: How wonderful it would
be if we in the ROK and Japan could call for peacein one concerted voice.
During the march I met various people,
including war victims. They were survivors of
the atomic bombings and those who lost theirfather or friends in the war. The war completelychanged their lives. I realized that war turns
everyone into victims and brings grief to humanity.
The ROK and Japan share the history of tragic
war. I imagine how strong their message would
be if the two countries raise a voice for peace
together. Of course before doing so we should
face the history of war, but I hope that one day wewill get together and jointly call for no more
nuclear weapons, no more wars, and peace. I willcontinue to value the earnest wish for peace you
have shown me and the lessons that I have learned
from the march.

Nozawa Yasuyuki
Aichi Gensuikyo
This year I took part in the peace march after
the lapse of some years. Since I had worked at afactory, I had not been able to join it during
weekdays. This year, I was able to make it.
In the past I was only walking in the peacemarch, but this year I tried to collect donation as
well as petitions.
This year, I realized that so many people think
nuclear weapons should be abolished or it is better
if they are abolished. Some told me it would be
difficult to eliminate nuclear weapons. But when
I asked them if they think nuclear weapons arenecessary, they would say it is better to eliminate
such weapons.
The day I joined the peace march was hot
under the scorching sun. Activity of collecting
signatures made my wish for the abolition of
nuclear weapons stronger.
After joining the peace march for two days, I
have come to the World Conference. I attended itafter the lapse of seven years. This is a place
where our marches for the abolition of nuclear
weapons meet all together.
I believe the World Conference will make mywish for the abolition of nuclear weapons muchstronger. I will bring the wish back to my town,
continue to do what we do such as the signaturecollection, and create a path of peace marchleading to the next year’s World Conference.
Voices cannot be heard unless we raise them.
If we join our voices, we can start movements.

AG Saño
Teach Peace, Build Peace Movement
The Philippines
Minna-san konnichwa. Watashi wa AG Saño
desu. Philippine kara kimashita. (Hello everyone, I
am AG Saño. I am from the Philippines.)
On behalf of the international youth marchers
I’d like to call on the youth of Japan to go out ofyour shells, get out of your comfort zones, andstart walking with us outside your homes. Bring
your friends, your cousins, your neighbors, yourdogs, your cats into this fight, because this is foryou. The Hibakushas have been walking for along long time for something that they will not
witness. This fight that they are doing is for you.
So if the youth of Guam, of the Philippines, of
Korea, of the United States, can come here andsupport your cause, what is stopping you being one
with us outside in the streets? If you have thetime to go on social media for long hours a day,play Pokemon Go, Clash of Klans, or whatever
you want to do…watch baseball. You have thetime to walk with us because this fight is nothing
less but for your future.
And by that, I want to see millions and millions
of Japanese youth walking next year in the Heiwa
Koshin. Arigatou gozaimashita!
81International Forum: 
ǲAchieving a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons Dialogue between Governments and NGOs”(August 5)

the United Nations I visited Hiroshima andNagasaki in my private capacity as an individual, as
one of many others who come here every year.
Every time I come here I cannot fail to pay myrespects to the memory of the tens of thousands ofmen, women and children that died instantly in themorning of the 6th and the 9th of August, seventyone years ago. I also remember with admiration
those who survived to tell the world their story andtheir effort that continues into the next generations,
to make sure that this tragedy will never be repeated.
People everywhere should support theircampaign.
Nuclear weapons were launchedagainst defenseless people only twice, but they
continue to be used to threaten people in many
countries. The accuracy and destructive power ofexisting nuclear arsenals are being increased
through programs called “modernization” that aredesigned to keep atomic arsenals operational formany decades into the future. The countries thatpossess atomic weapons have clearly stated their
willingness to use them in the circumstances theysee fit, even against those that do not possess them.
This argument actually encourages proliferation.
While some reductions in the arsenals of some

Panelist Presentations:(Transcribed from oral presentations)
Sergio Duarte
Former U.N. High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs/ Ambassador (Brazil)
ACHIEVING A NUCLEAR-WEAPON FREE
WORLD
This is the 9th time I come to this beautiful cityof Hiroshima to join my voice to that of all those
who work for a nuclear-weapon free, peaceful andjust world. I have come here over the past 13 years
in different times and in different capacities. It
started in 2003 when I was still a member of mycountry’s foreign service and had been chosen tochair the 2005 Review Conference of the Treaty on
the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. LaterI had the honor of representing the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations on four occasions at
the ceremony in the Peace Memorial on August 6.
I also accompanied the Secretary-General in his
visit to Nagasaki during this period. After leaving82

humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons were heldin 2012 and 2014.
The Chair’s summary of the last of these
Conferences, held in Vienna, stated that the impactof a nuclear weapon detonation, irrespective of thecause, would not be constrained by national borders
and could have regional and even global
consequences, causing destruction, death anddisplacement as well as profound and long-term
damage to the environment, climate, human healthand well-being, socioeconomic development, social
order and could even threaten the survival of
humankind. The summary went on to say that aslong as nuclear weapons exist, there remains thepossibility of a nuclear weapon explosion. Even if
the probability is considered low, given thecatastrophic consequences of a nuclear weapon
detonation, the risk is unacceptable. The risks ofaccidental, mistaken, unauthorized or intentionaluse of nuclear weapons are evident due to thevulnerability of nuclear command and control
networks.
These risks increase over time. The dangers ofaccess to nuclear weapons and related materials by
non-state actors, particularly terrorist groups,
persist. The only assurance against the risk of a
nuclear weapon detonation is the total eliminationof nuclear weapons. No state or international
body could address in an adequate manner theimmediate humanitarian emergency or long-term
consequences caused by a nuclear weapon
detonation in a populated area, nor provide adequate
assistance to those affected. Such capacity is
unlikely ever to exist.
The catastrophic
consequences of a nuclear weapon detonation eventand the risks associated with the mere existence of
these weapons raise profound legal, ethical andmoral questions.
In 2009 the Security Council of the United
Nations adopted, a resolution that stated, among
other things, that the proliferation of nuclear
weapons is a threat to international peace andsecurity. This is certainly true. Nuclear weapons
started to proliferate in 1945, when the firstexperimental detonation was carried out in thedesert of Nevada. Proliferation continued after
1945 and resulted in the more than 15.000 plus
nuclear weapons that exist today in the arsenals ofnine countries. This is what threatens peace andsecurity today. The Security Council should in fact
declare that the existence of nuclear weapons is athreat to international peace and security.
None of the countries that adhered to the Treaty
on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons(NPT) as non-nuclear States have acquired nuclear
weapons. The only one that did – the DPRK – hadto withdraw from the Treaty in order to do so,

nuclear weapon States have taken place over time,they have never accepted any binding commitment
to enter into concrete disarmament negotiations.
We must not relent in our effort to persuade them tolisten to the appeal of the overwhelming majority of
the international community to eliminate nuclear
weapons from their arsenals.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The United Nations was created less than one
month before nuclear weapons started to proliferate.
In the city of San Francisco, in June 1945,
representatives of fifty governments signed theCharter, proclaiming the determination of “we, thepeoples of the United Nations” to practice tolerance
and live together in peace and to unite our strength
to maintain international peace and security. It isvery significant that the drafters of the Charter of
the United Nations wanted that document to record
the wish of the peoples of the world for an end to
war and injustice. Nuclear weapons did not exist
at the time of the signature of the Charter, but thevery first resolution adopted at the General
Assembly, on January 24, 1946 called for “theelimination from national armaments of atomic
weapons and all other major weapons adaptable tomass destruction”.
Seventy-one years have gone by since thetragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This year we
also celebrate seventy years since the adoption ofthat resolution, and still nuclear weapons have notbeen eliminated from the national arsenals of ahandful of countries. At least we can say that thetwo other categories of weapons of mass destruction
have been abolished: in 1975 the Convention
banning all bacteriological (biological) weapons
entered into force and in 1997 the Chemical
Weapons Convention became part of internationallaw. The dismantlement and destruction of all
chemical weapons in the world is proceeding quite
effectively. The overwhelming majority of stocksof these weapons have already been destroyed.
Soon the world will be completely free of the threatof chemical warfare.
But what about nuclear arms, the most cruel andindiscriminate of all weapons ever devised by man?
Why can’t the community of nations find ways toprohibittheirdevelopment,
manufacture,stockpiling, and use? If you ask public opinion,even in the States that possess nuclear armament,
people will say they support effective measures torid the world of the threat of nuclear extinction.
At the 2010 Review Conference of the NPT the
196 States Party to that treaty – including fivepossessors of nuclear weapons – agreed for the firsttime that a nuclear detonation would havecatastrophic consequences. As a result of thatagreement, three international conferences on the83use of nuclear weapons by those that agreed toprotect them. If nuclear weapons are so important
to maintain security, then the logical conclusion isthat every State should acquire them. In someparts of the world, including Northeast Asia, adangerous trend seems to be emerging, by whichcurrents of public opinion start to suggest theacquisition of national nuclear means to deter
aggression because of the development of growing
nuclear capability by other regional States.
But this is the wrong path to pursue. The choice
is not between disarmament and comfortablenational security. The choice is between
disarmament and a scramble for the world’s
deadliest weapons. This is why disarmament mustbe here to stay. It is a righteous cause and it is ourshared responsibility to past victims and future
generations.
So while the eyes of the world are on Hiroshima
every sixth of August, I have only one final
prescription—do not underestimate the contribution
you can make to this vexing process of disarmament.
The world is more open than you might think tofresh thinking and ideas involving creative,
practical solutions to chronic problems in this field.
A great door is open, to all who may wish to enterand contribute.

demonstrating the importance and permanence of
the NPT. The treaty recognized the possession of
nuclear weapons by five States – the same Statesthat are permanent members of the Security Councilof the United Nations – but it did not give them alicense to keep their nuclear weapons forever. On
the contrary, the NPT stipulated the obligation forthem to pursue negotiations on effective measuresrelating to nuclear disarmament.
They mustcomply with that obligation, just as all non-nuclear
parties have complied with theirs. The world
cannot tolerate for much longer the threat of theindefinite maintenance of nuclear arsenals and theircontinuing improvement.
The international community has been active inpromoting effective non-proliferation measures.
Over the decades, several important international
instruments have been negotiated and became
international law. Among these are the treaties that
established nuclear weapon free zones in five
regions of the world, starting with my own – Latin
America and the Caribbean. One Asian country –Mongolia – declared itself free of nuclear weapons.
Another crucial instrument was the 1996
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), by which
nuclear experimental detonations in allenvironments were outlawed.
However, thistreaty is not formally into force, because eight States
have not yet signed or ratified it. Only one of them
– North Korea – continues to carry out nuclear
weapon tests and does not give any sign ofabandoning its nuclear ambitions. A vigorous
international campaign to ensure the entry into forceof the CTBT is necessary.
As a result of the re-awakening of the awarenessof the dangers inherent in the existence of nuclear
weapons, a number of non-nuclear countries
promoted the creation of an open-ended Working
Group as a subsidiary body of the United Nations
General Assembly “to address concrete effective
legal measures, legal provisions, and norms thatwill need to be concluded to attain and maintain aworld without nuclear weapons.” This group held anumber of meetings in 2015 and 2016 and its reportwill be discussed at the forthcoming Session of theGeneral Assembly. The report of its Chair is due
in early August and it will be debated later in thesame month. The proposal to negotiate a treaty
banning the use of nuclear weapons is gaining wide
acceptance among the Member States of the United
Nations.
Although the States that possess nuclear
weapons chose not to participate in the work of thisgroup, several of their allies took part in the
deliberations. Through bilateral agreements or
because of their membership in military alliances,these states entrusted their security to the possible

Joseph Gerson
American Friends Service Committee
U.S.A.
It’s a pleasure to be here - with many of you
participating in the Conference and this workshop.
I have to say that it’s a special honor to be sharing
the platform with Mr. Duarte, a man who has earned
our great respect because of his dedication, his
vision, and his quiet courage over the years. It’s aprivilege to be working with him. It’s also apleasure to be here with other friends, especially
Taka-san, who has been a very important inspiration
and a partner in our work.
Let me say first of all that it’s still something ofan embarrassment to be coming to Hiroshima fromthe United States. The people of Hiroshima andalso Nagasaki were sacrificed on the altar of GreatPower imperialism. Before the A-bombing, Japan
was attempting to surrender on terms that Truman
ultimately accepted. Truman’s senior advisers
said it wasn’t necessary to use the bomb to achieve
Japan’s surrender on terms acceptable to the UnitedStates.
But Truman and some of his senioradvisers wanted to bring the war to an immediate
end so that the U.S. would not have to shareinfluence with the Soviet Union in Northern China,
Manchuria and Korea. Thus the people in these84the Open-ended Working Group go forward towardwhat’s called a ban treaty -- a simple treaty to
declare nuclear weapon is to be illegal -- it can
simply be ignored. The U.S. and other nuclear
powers have been resisting their obligations under
Article 6 of the NPT for years, and the sense is thatthey can absorb what follows from the OEWG
report like water rolling of a duck’s back. So thequestion is, how do we bring in enough power tobear to achieve a nuclear weapons-free world?
My belief is that nuclear powers have to be involvedin negotiations for the elimination of their arsenals;
otherwise they are not actually going to takemeaningful steps in that direction.
This morning as I awoke I found myself trying
to think about how best to frame this. I came up
with an odd analogy. It was of an atomic bomb.
For an atomic bomb to explode, it must havemassive and even pressure across its surface. So
in terms of detonating change -- blasting open -- theresistance of the United States and the other nuclear
powers, ideally we have to bring pressure on themfrom as many directions as possible to break theirintransigence. It is also possible that focusedaction, for example on the British government toprevent Trident replacement, could also help tobreak that resistance.
So, turning to resistance, let me first point to theabsolute importance of the humanitarianconsequences of nuclear weapons process. It wasa privilege to be at both the Nayarit and Vienna
conferences. The Hibakusha who spoke there
played critical roles in the conferences’ outcomes.
In Nayarit, because the U.S. refused to attend, there
was more time for the Hibakusha to speak. Their
descriptions of how they suffered transformed theconference. In Vienna, there was an amazing
moment when a U.S. nuclear weapon victim, avictim from nuclear tests, was brought out onto thestage in her wheelchair. She began by saying,“My government has killed me”, and she explained
how she and so many others in her community inUtah have been victimized and have been dying one
after the other from the cancers caused by U.S.
nuclear testing. Her stream of consciousness talkand Setsuko Thurlow’s speech as the conference
began sealed its outcome. Immediately following
these talks, the U.S. State Department official
embarrassed himself and almost everyone else in
the room by breaking the rules.
Instead ofhonoring the chairman’s announcement that it wasthen a time for questions, the U.S. official
responded with ridiculous and defensive statement.
We all wanted to crawl under our chairs and hide.
There was another remarkable moment inNayarit. After hearing the International Red Cross
report that they couldn’t even respond meaningfullycommunities were sacrificed in the first bombingsof the Cold War.
It’s also an embarrassment to be coming fromthe U.S. these days. I’m sure you have beenreading newspapers about the American election.
On the one hand we have Trump, who is amazingly
ignorant, racist, xenophobic, and who has released
fascist forces at the popular level. He has refused
to rule out the possibility of using nuclear weapons
in the war against ISIS, which is not only brutal but
ridiculous. And during this week while I’ve been
here, it’s been reported that during expert briefings
he asked repeatedly why it is not possible for us to
use nuclear weapons. So he is a very frightening
figure who, fortunately at the moment, seems tohave his campaign imploding.
But, on the other hand, we have Hillary Clinton,a woman who has said that nuclear weapons could
be abolished in some century, not this one. She is
the woman who launched the U.S. military pivot toAsia. And, who might become her secretary ofdefense if she wins the election? She is looking toMichele Flournoy.
Flournoy is not as extreme as your new defense
minister Inada, who just yesterday patheticallyrefused to say that Japan’s 15-year war was a war of
aggression. Ms. Inada said that it depends on yourperspective. And, when questioned about her
previous support for Japan becoming a nuclear
weapon state, she said, “Not at this time.” She did
not say never, but “not at this time.” That’s the
position of the Japanese military for the past 50
years.
But, with Flournoy who is advocating escalationof the U.S. war in Syria, we would have a morehawkish manager of U.S. military than we had in
the recent past.
I should add that among other embarrassments
there was the failure of President Obama to makeany meaningful disarmament announcements whenhe briefly visited Hiroshima. We were happy that
he came to Hiroshima, but we were sorry that hecame empty-handed. And, as you can read inJapan Times today, his visit deepened U.S.-Japan
military alliance. We are hopeful that he may yettake some steps to burnish his legacy before heleaves office, but he may not also want to do
anything that would complicate Hillary Clinton’s
election as prospects. So, we’ll see how thatworks.
One more thing to say in this regard is that I
have a friend and colleague who sometimes engages
with the White House. His wife is now actually
doing research on U.S. nuclear weapons spending
while working within the White House and thePentagon. He told me that the thinking in the
White House is that if the negotiations going on in85

I’m sure that the U.S. Embassy was well aware of
our statement. Adding pressure, my colleague
Paul Martin got our statement to the higher reaches
within the White House. We pushed as hard as we
could.
One of the main openings we have now for ourwork is the frightening and awful reality that the
U.S. is in the process of spending a trillion dollars
to build a whole new generation of more “usable”
nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. Thishas happened when the national infrastructure iscollapsing, when people are still suffering fromausterity, and when we have massive poverty andeven hunger.
In response, one of the things that myorganization did was to train literally hundreds ofcommunity activists like yourselves in the states of
Iowa and New Hampshire. These are the firststates to vote in the caucus and primary processes
for the selection of presidential candidates. We
trained them to ask questions that educate theaudience, educate the media that’s there, educate
and challenge the candidates. Then, on a weekly
and sometimes daily basis, our staff tracked
candidates campaign, and informed our activists
where and when to find the candidates. We callthis “bird dogging.”
When we received ameaningful response from a candidate, we posted iton the web, so that people will follow up with therelated questions at the candidate’s next event.
Out of this process, we did get a commitment from
Hillary Clinton that spending a trillion dollars is toomuch. That’s not disarmament, but it’s a step.
And our campaign made a contribution to the
Democratic Party’s national platform plank whichstates that the U.S. should reduce its nuclear
spending. It’s not enough, but the process also
gives us a way for education and further movementbuilding.
Friends, in March, Taka-san told me about theprocess then under way of developing the
Hibakusha’s signature appeal, and he said that it
was going to be an international campaign. In thepast, I have heard about other Japanese international
petition campaigns. But, coming here now andhearing that the goal is hundreds of millions ofsignatures and remembering the impacts of theStockholm Appeal, I have to say this is absolutely
wonderful. Last night I worked late to get theword out about this campaign, not only to U.S.
activists, but also people who’ve joined the Peaceand Planet international network.
There is one more point I want to make about
the roles and importance of the Japanese movement:
I was talking with Taka the other day how we build
the movement that we need to reverse U.S. nuclear
weapons and war policies.
I found myself

to detonation of a single nuclear weapon in a city,
let alone what would happen in nuclear exchange,and other expert testimonies, there was thiswonderful moment when the Ambassador of
Zimbabwe, a young man, got up and said, “What arethose people thinking?!”
That kind of education and the other work thathas been done by the Hibakusha and all of us
pushing forward has had an effect of changing
government policies. Through the humanitarianconsequences process, we have been educating thewhole generation of diplomats.
Let me then turn to the popular movements.
Mr. Duarte and Gensuikyo representatives were
present in the 2010 when we held a majorinternational conference, with deep involvement of
Gensuikyo, on the eve of the NPT Review
Conference. To our amazement, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon accepted our invitation to
speak, and he told us that governments alone will
not deliver us a nuclear weapons-free world. It
cannot be achieved, he said, without popularpressure from below. That’s our responsibility.
That’s what we have to do. I loved AG Saño’s
brief talk yesterday (he is one of the Philippine
peace marchers.) He stressed that we have to push
to the limits, to step out, and to challenge ourselves
and others to take meaningful actions. This iswhat we have to do. We have to step up and not
be afraid to be the nail that stands up. If we’regoing to get hundreds of millions of petition
signatures, it’s going to take something other than“business as usual.” As AG said, we’re not going
to win a nuclear weapons-free world if young
people remain glued to their computer games.
Let me then point out a few things that we’ve
done in the United States. Fortunately, we do havea meaningful movement in the United States. It’s
not as strong as we like, but it’s meaningful.
Selma van Oostwaard has spoken about the “Don’t
Bank on the Bomb” campaign. In my community,
Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is a home toHarvard University and MIT, we were able to win
the unanimous vote of our city council to divest all
the city’s investments -- pensions and others -- fromfinancial institutions investing in nuclear weapons
production. That’s more than a billion dollars.
And the U.S. Conference of Mayors has, in theirdeclaration just last month, cited the Cambridge
resolution as a great achievement, and as a modelfor other cities to pursue. When we do something
like that, it builds its own momentum.
In another initiative, we were able to gain thesignatures of a number of very influential scholars
and peace activists, on the eve of President Obama’s
visit to Hiroshima. With the help of one of ourpartners, it reverberated through the Japanese press.

86look critical towards the use of armed drones inconflicts, we look critical towards toxic remnants ofwar, use of explosive weapons in populated areas
and arms trades.
We do our research on
investments of financial institutions in cluster
munition producers and we work towards a ban on
fully autonomous weapons also called “killer robots”
and one of the most interesting campaigns is thenuclear disarmament campaign.
If I would be standing here 5 years ago I would
be feeling different because I have the feeling that
we together have achieved lots in, let’s say, during
the last 3 years.
The discussion on nuclear
disarmament has been brought forward a lot. So I
work mainly for the nuclear disarmament program
and together with my colleagues and our partners in
the country itself and in Europe and internationally
we work to achieve a world without nuclear
weapons. We do so through political lobbying,public campaigning, research and publication.
As we just mentioned, every year we publish a
research called “Don’t Bank on the Bomb”, which
includes a list of financial institutions from all over
the world and we look at the companies they invest
in and if we see any trace towards nuclear weapons
producers, we put them in a list and we make adivision. We call it the “Hall of Shame”, so thatmeans that they put their money in nuclear weapons
producers. We have a “Hall of Fame”, because
you also need to encourage financial institutions
who do make decisions that they don’t invest in
nuclear weapons and we have the “Runners up”.
Those are financial institutions that have changed
their policy since the latest publication of the report.
That can be because they made a decision to do sobased on the reports or it can be that contracts ended,and then they decided not to invest anymore.
What this report does is that it provides
campaigners from all over the world to bring thediscussion of nuclear disarmament in a newperspective. If I talk for example…I always use
my friend as a case study. If we have a political
discussion on nuclear weapons we get into a wholegeopolitical discussion. But if I talk about you,
you have a bank account, you save your money, youwork 40 hours a week, and knowing that yourmoney is spent in weapons of mass destruction, how
do you feel about it? Then I get a different answer
than when I ask how you feel about nuclear
weapons. It makes the issue more personal and it
makes the issue also motivated for people to act.
We ask people to change their bank accounts. We
recently are focusing in the Netherlands on thelargest pension funds. This is the pension funds
that provides the pensions of our teachers, atuniversities, at high schools, at civil servants, andknowing that their money is invested in nuclear

remembering that during the Vietnam War, theleaders of the Vietnamese liberation movement
were brilliant in the ways they engaged not only
progressives but liberals in the U.S. society,arranged for the exchange of POWs, and the visitsof Americans into the war zones, so they could
come back and tell the American people. In 1971,
an era of relatively primitive communications
technology, Madame Binh, the National Liberation
Front’s senior representative at the Paris peace
negotiations, spoke by phone to a conference of 500
leading U.S. anti-war activists.
This kind ofintervention from the outside is what we need tohelp build our movement to change U.S. policies.
Then I remembered this is what the Hibakusha
and Gensuikyo delegations have repeatedly been
doing. The visits of other Japanese peace activists,
including the 1200 who came to the last year’s NPT
Review and the Peace and Planet mobilization –have been very important part in stimulating,inspiring, and pressing our movement.
Paul Martin, who is here, has also talked about
the ways you can send op-ed articles or letters to theeditors to the New York Times or Washington Post.
These are ways that you help bring some sanity into
what is sometimes absolutely insane politicalculture in the United States.
The fact is that the Japanese movement has a
special place, not only in the practical day-to-day
work that I have just described, but also as aninspiration that provides hope for people around theworld. It is vitally important for you to keep on
keeping on, and to be engaging young generation,bringing them up, giving them responsibility, andmoving them toward leadership for the longer
struggle.

Selma van Oostwaard
PAX
The Netherlands
First of all I’d like to thank you that I am sitting
here speaking in front of you and also listening to
all the work you are doing to achieve a nuclear
weapons free world.
Let me first explain my organization and what
we actually do. I work for PAX and we are basedin the Netherlands in Europe. PAX literally means
peace, so we are a peace organization and we bring
together people who have the courage to stand forpeace in difficult conflict situation and we areworking on the protection of civilians in armed
conflicts.
I work for the humanitarian
disarmament team and we look critical towards
certain types of weapons, we work towards norm
building, norm setting and norm compliance. We
87possible in your country to use it as well because
this political tool has helped us a lot. It’s literallytranslated as a “citizens’ initiative” and that meansin the Netherlands you can raise a topic in
Parliament if you are able to gather more than
40,000 signatures.
Please know that theNetherlands is a small country so that’s a lot ofsignatures. And you need to write an official
proposal on a topic that has never been discussed in
Parliament in the last two years. So it has to be a
new topic and your proposal has to be perfect frompage 1 to 10 because everything will be checked.
We wrote an official proposal on a national ban…sothe proposal was that the Netherlands should decidewithin national legislation to prohibit nuclear
weapons. We went on to the streets to gather thesignatures, had to explain to people why now wewere putting this topic on the agenda. And
because of the humanitarian initiative and becausea majority of the UN member states already had
pledged to negotiate…to be willing to negotiate atreaty banning nuclear weapons, people were reallydisappointed to hear that our country doesn’t belong
to this majority. So getting the signatures wasquite easy. We also had the support of many
Dutch celebrities, mayors, political youth wings.
It is also interesting to know these were people
representing political parties who are not in favor of
nuclear disarmament and those were the people who
had signed the petition. Because for example, inthe ‘80s they joined the demonstration and they said,“I haven’t changed my position on nuclear weapons
since then, so there’s no reason for me not to sign.”
What happened? The government counted allof our signatures and looked at our proposal andthey approved it. So in April, the debate on our
proposal to ban nuclear weapons took place in theHague. Of course we prepared some lobby talks
with members of Parliament. We also did a lot oflobby talks with members of Parliament whom weknew were difficult to convince, because we reallywant to inform them about the humanitarian
initiative and that now we have a majority of UN
member states calling for negotiations.
What happened at the debates? We hoped for
it but we didn’t know what was about to happen, but
4 motions were adopted by a large majority of the
Parliament, all calling strongly upon thegovernment to act more on nuclear disarmament.
And one of the most interesting motions was handed
in by a political party that’s always very vague on
where they actually stand and they were the ones
who stood out and said to the Dutch governmentthat it should join, to explicitly participate ininternational negotiations on the ban treaty. And
this is something that has never happened before.
And this motion really helped us to go to the Open-

weapons producers causes a lot of anger. We see
a lot of people who may not know much about
nuclear disarmament, may even don’t really care,but if they hear that their saving money is being
invested on weapons of mass destruction you can
see that they are very willing to sign petitions or tostand on the streets to ask other people to switch
bank accounts.
What we also do is we focus on youth and I
think this was a theme that came in several
workshops and meetings that we need to involve
newer generations in this discussion. So we alsoneed to bring youth to the discussion in office visits.
A special moment for me was the NPT 2012 which
was in Vienna. We had an international group of
students representing Russia, United States, andIran. They set up meetings with diplomats andasked them critical questions. And the momentsthat students ran out of a statement meeting when
Norway announced that they were about to host thefirst conference ever in history about thehumanitarian impacts on nuclear weapons, we werevery happy because for the first time in history the
discussion was not about geopolitics but it was
about the humanitarian impacts.
And PAX has been involved in the campaign
against land mines and cluster munitions and what
we learned from that campaign is as soon as thediscussion was about the humanitarian impacts,
when victims were brought into the discussions, thediscussion changed from a geopolitical discussion
into a discussion on the type of weapon itself. It
doesn’t matter who the weapon has, it’s about what
it does.
And based on that view, as thegovernments decided that we find this unacceptable.
So we were very pleased to see this in a nuclear
disarmament discussion that a humanitarian
initiative arose at the NPT.
When Mexico in Nayarit held the second
conference we felt a process coming. So we
decided in the Netherlands that we also need tomake our government aware of this. Just to
explain the context we work in. We are based in
the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a very verysmall country. But it is important to know that weare a member of the NATO alliance, we don’t
possess nuclear weapons, but we do give permission
to host about 20 nuclear weapons from the UnitedStates on our soil. So we also have a very
important role in nuclear disarmament. So when
we saw the humanitarian initiative, we wanted to
inform people that this is the moment that we needto put this on the agenda again. And not only
nuclear disarmament, but literally talking about anuclear weapons ban treaty.
In the Netherlands we have a political
campaigning tool, and I recommend if this is88

On August 5, 16 and 17, and 19 in Geneva, theU.N. Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) is
meeting to address legal measures, legal provisions
and norms needed to attain and maintain a world
without nuclear weapons. It is attended by the
representatives of some two thirds of the UN
member states and civil society organizations. Its
report will be submitted to the next session of the
UN General Assembly, which will start in
September, and next steps will be discussed anddecided upon there.
The recommendations put forward by the draft
Report of the OEWG, due for discussion from todayin Geneva, are clear and straightforward.
It says that additional efforts can and should be
pursued to elaborate legal measures, legal
provisions and norms that will need to be concluded
to attain and maintain a world without nuclear
weapons. It also makes clear that the above efforts
are to complement and strengthen the NPT.
The report further affirms that a majority ofstates supported the convening by the General
Assembly of a conference in 2017, open to all States,international organizations and civil society, tonegotiate a legally-binding instrument to prohibit
nuclear weapons, leading towards their totalelimination. It also noted that a group of States,
however, considered that such negotiations would
be premature, that it needs to address national andinternational security, and that they support the“pursuit of practical building block measures.”
It also urges member states to review andimplement such measures as transparency related to
the risks of existing nuclear weapons, accidental,
mistaken, unauthorized or intentional nuclear
weapons detonation and other matters.
From these points alone, it seems clear how far
we have come towards the elimination of nuclear
weapons and what we should do now to take theworld to the goal. I want to commend the United
Nations, the nuclear weapon-free zone movement,
Non-Aligned Movement, New Agenda Coalition
and many other governments, as well as civilsociety movements that are committed to these
efforts.
I want to make one more point that characterizes
our conference. It is that in this only A-bombed
country where we should keep initiating efforts forthe abolition of nuclear weapons, we have prepared
the conference on the basis of new experience ofstruggle.
Faced with the situation where Japanese politics
is driven towards the use of force overseas for war
fighting, destroying Article 9 of the Constitution, abroad range of people rose in protest at a grassroots
level across the country. Mounting waves ofactions developed against war laws and in defense

ended Working Group in Geneva because suddenly
our government had to explain to the Parliament
why they didn’t support the majority call to startnegotiations. Suddenly the government had to
explain to all the people who signed the petition
why they didn’t join the majority of the UN member
states calling for these negotiations.
At this moment 12 documents on the Openended Working Group are circulating. We don’tknow if the Netherlands will change its position, butthey do realize that they cannot stay in the same
position. They feel the pressure from the Dutch
Parliament, they feel the pressure from the civilsociety, and they feel the pressure from the people
on the streets and they feel the pressure also fromthe media. So we are very interested about what
will happen to the Open-ended Working Group.
We will make sure that whatever happens the
Netherlands should do what the majority is callingfor, and for us this political campaign tool was very
useful. And once again I do recommend to you if
you do have the possibility to do this in your country.
It is a very useful way to convince…to put pressure
on your government.
Lastly, I would like to say that the international
petition of the Hibakusha we are definitely going touse it because it also puts new pressure on ourgovernment to tell them that we don’t accept
anymore, that we won’t allow nuclear weapons to
be part of our deterrence policies. So thank you
for setting this petition up and we will do everything
to make your voice stronger.

Hiroshi Taka
Representative Director
Japan Council against A and H Bombs
Making the Hibakusha Appeal Signature
Campaign an Epoch-making Campaign
It is a great honor for me to join a panel ofpeople who are playing a prominent role ininternational politics or in civil society. I take thisopportunity to express my deep respect to you foryour valuable work.
This year’s World Conference marks the 71st
year of the suffering from the A-bombings and 61
years since its first meeting. It is becoming a
conference of historic importance. First, we aremeeting at a juncture where the world is making
headway towards banning A and H bombs. You
already know it through your study before theconference, from speeches at the International
Meeting of overseas delegates, or from theOrganizer’s Report delivered yesterday.

89

nuclear weapon-free world. This line of actions,no doubt, will work as a heavy pressure on the fivenuclear powers called “Nuclear Weapon States” in
the NPT, as well as the rest of the nuclear powers.
The abolition of nuclear weapons, however, will
not be achieved unless nuclear powers themselves
abandon their arsenals. A world without nuclear
weapons also requires the renunciation of thereliance on the “nuclear umbrella” by such countries
as Japan.
At the 2015 NPT Review Conference, UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon referred to thepetitions submitted by civil society as a “reminderof the hopes and expectations of the peoples we arehere to serve”. It is true that the very factor that
determines the course of international politics is thevoice of the sovereign peoples around the world.
That is why the signature campaign is important.
The campaign initiated by the Hibakusha is now
producing wide cooperation beyond all barriers.
In June, I joined in the peace march walking along
the Pacific coastal area of Fukushima. In Iwaki,
the south end of the course, I engaged with friendsof the local Gensuikyo branch in the signaturecollection. I visited four families and had dialog
with another four citizens in the street. When I
visited the first house, an aged man had just comeback home. I asked him to sign the Appeal. He
said, “Later”. So, I again visited him 15 minutes
later, but inside the house he waved me off. Then,
another 15 minutes passed, and when an end of thesignature collection was announced through aloudspeaker, we saw a man hurriedly coming to us
offering to sign the “Appeal”. It was that man.
He must have changed his mind. In the street near
the railway station, an old woman agreed to sign the“Appeal.” She was an evacuee from Tomioka, aneighboring town of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP.
She said she lost her land to cultivate, house andfamily life. Because of her age, she could nolonger expect to return to her old life. She could
not stop talking… Through conversations withaltogether 8 people, I got signatures from all of them.
This actually epitomizes the trust and familiarity
with which the citizens embraced our local
Gensuikyo.
In a signature campaign, the actual number ofsignatures collected of course matters, but thecontents of the dialogues and the interpersonal
relations built through them are even more
important. Let us make the signature campaign
for the Appeal of the Hibakusha a historic campaign
to change our neighborhood, our region, our country
and our world.

of constitutionalism, putting aside differences inthought, belief and bygones.
Out of these actions, a call, “Opposition Parties,
Unite!” grew nationwide, and on this basis, joint
candidates were fielded in many constituencies atthe latest national elections for the House ofCouncillors and in the Tokyo gubernatorial election.
A joint candidate was chosen on the common
platform of defending constitutionalism and against
the war laws. In Okinawa, the opposition unity
candidate achieved overwhelming victory against
the incumbent Minister, and in Tohoku region,united candidates won in all prefectures except for
Akita.
The situation remains tense. Some time ago,the news carried by “The Washington Post” sayingthat President Obama was examining a policy of“no first use” of nuclear weapons was also reported
in Japan. The immediate reaction of the Japanese
Government was to solicit the US Administration
for consultation and ask for maintaining the first use
policy lest “deterrence should weaken.”
There is a precedent for this. On the eve of theSix Party Talks on the denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula to start in 2003, the Japanese
Government asked the US to maintain the policy touse nuclear weapons even if North Korea should
abandon its nuclear development program.
Now, having secured a two thirds majority in theDiet, the Japanese Government is starting actions tofully revise the Constitution.
Yet, the road to stop such a dangerous current,
defend the Constitution and reset Japanese politics
to stand in the van for a world without nuclear
weapons has clearly come in sight through ourrecent experiences. Will the dawn of a new Japan
start in Okinawa, or in Tohoku? We should see toit that it will also start here in Hiroshima, Nagasaki
or elsewhere where we work, using the signature
campaign initiated by the Hibakusha, as a common
form of action at the grassroots.
The third point I want to make is about the
Hibakusha Signature Campaign itself. Yesterday,
the International Meeting of the World Conference
adopted a declaration. With a cover letter, we
immediately sent it to the OEWG. At the United
Nations, disarmament related resolutions areusually adopted by the First Committee in earlyNovember and by the General Assembly in early
December. It is already proposed that the UN
should convene a conference to negotiate a ban andthe elimination of nuclear weapons in 2017.
More than 70% of the UN member states standin favor of legally binding measures to ensure a90

Closing Plenary
2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs - Hiroshima(August 6)

Nations”. Our organisation was formed in the
shadow of World War II. For seven decades wehave dedicated ourselves to achieving a world,safer and more secure world, and without nuclear
weapons.
In this cause, the United Nations has no greater
ally than the brave survivors of the atomic
bombings, the Hibakusha. Today I acknowledge
the suffering the Hibakusha have endured, bothduring the bombing and in the years that followed.
I also pay tribute to their determination totransform their personal tragedy into a message ofhope.
They have become, as the
Secretary-General said, “True champions of peace.”
As the embodiment of the human costs of nuclear
war, the Hibakusha are unique. However, most
Hibakusha are now in their eighties or older. We
need to make sure that their legacy is secured.
I take this opportunity to call on the young
peacemakers of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to ensure
the voices of the Hibakusha echo down the years
so that future generations fully understand the tollthese weapons take.
Throughout his tenure, the Secretary-General,and especially in his five-point plan on nuclear

Speeches by Representatives of the
U.N. and National Governments:
Kim Won-soo
High Presentative for Disarmament Affairs
United Nations
Mr Hiroshi Taka, Co-chair of the Steering
Committee
Esteemed Hibakusha
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am honoured to be here with you once again
as we commemorate this sombre occasion – thefirst use of nuclear weapons in war. This is mysecond visit to Hiroshima and the impact of thismemorial is no less moving.
I bring you the greetings of Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon. He has asked me to convey his
commitment to the pledge he made six years ago
to stand with the people of Hiroshima andNagasaki. And his unwavering commitment to
the imperative of nuclear disarmament.
As the Secretary-General likes to say,
“Disarmament is in the DNA of the United91atomic attacks to Hiroshima, which took place on
August 6th, 1945.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are a worldwide andhistorical reference to the horror that war
represents and to the devastating suffering caused
to human kind when science is used for war
purposes. Nevertheless, they are also a symbol ofresistance and perseverance to overcome adversity.
We should never forget the terrible history behindthese two cities, but we also should learn to beinspired by them.
Mexico pays tribute to the Japanese people,
particularly to Hibakushas, the survivors of theattacks. Their strength and example have been
essential to raise awareness before the world about
the destructive effects of nuclear weapons. We
must also convey this message: under nocircumstances this experience should be repeated.
Hibakusha’s generation saw the early
beginnings of nuclear weapons, one of the mostpowerful memories of war. Our generation grewup under their menace. If it is true that we did
not create them, we have the responsibility toeliminate them all. Our commitment should be alink between generations.
Ladies and gentlemen:
Today, our societies are not fully aware of thedanger nuclear weapons represent. The threat toexterminate life within our planet, due to a nuclear
attack, was vanished after the Cold War.
Nonetheless, Mexico along with a growing
number of countries believe that it is meaningful toremember that this weapons still exist - there are
more than 15 thousand around the globe - and they
still represent one of the foremost threats tohumankind.
The three Conferences on the Humanitarian
Impact of Nuclear Weapons, held in Oslo (2013),
Nayarit and Vienna (2014), clearly demonstrated
the devastating effects that would be caused by
one detonation, either unintended or planned.
Serious consequences would occur to theenvironment, development, global health, foodsecurity, among many others factors. What iscertain is that a single detonation would have local,
regional and global consequences.
As a result of these Conferences, today two
thirds (2/3) of the countries agree that the very
existence of nuclear weapons do not actually
guarantee any State’s security or safety. This is
the reason why we should work towards theircomplete prohibition and elimination.
This is the only way to avoid repeating
tragedies such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Ladies and gentlemen:Countries like Mexico and Japan, which do notpossess nuclear arsenal, have the noble endeavor

disarmament, has highlighted the steps that must
be taken without delay if the world is to achieve
nuclear disarmament.
Yet our efforts to adopt effective measures fordisarmament continue to be frustrated and the gap
between positions on how to achieve a world freeof nuclear weapons grows wider.
We must work together to fill this gap. The
community of nations, led by those states
possessing nuclear weapons, needs to cometogether in inclusive dialogue. All nations needto find common ground and a way forward.
The stakes are too high not to. The humanand environmental consequences of the use of one
nuclear weapon would be devastating.
I call on you, civil society, to also play yourpart. Civil society is central to prompting the
public conscience to advance disarmament. Raise
your voices and let them be heard. Keep yourgovernments accountable for their actions andpolicies.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki remind us of thedevastating consequences of nuclear weapons.
But, as the Secretary-General has said, “the only
absolute guarantee that they are never used again isthrough their total elimination.”
I count on you all to help attain that goal.

Miguel Ruiz-Cabañas Izquierdo
Vice-Minister for Multilateral Affairs andHuman Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
United Mexican States
Distinguished Organizing Committee;
Distinguished authorities from the Government ofJapan;
Distinguished Mr. Kim Won-soo, High
Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United
Nations;
Distinguished Mr. Sergio Duarte, Former High
Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United
Nations;
Distinguished Hibakusha;
His Excellency Mr. Seiko Ishikawa, Ambassador
of Venezuela to Japan;
Distinguished Mr. Azri Mat Yacob, Malaysian
Embassy in Japan;
Distinguished Mr. Damian Delgado, Cuban
Embassy in Japan;
Distinguished members from Non-governmental
Organizations;
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
I am deeply honored for participating, on
behalf the Government of Mexico, in thecommemoration of the 71st anniversary of the92hydrogen weapons.
Venezuela is a member State to the Treaty for
the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin
America and the Caribbean, known as the Treatyof Tlatelolco, which establishes a Nuclear
Weapons Free Zone in the region. It is the first
Free Zone of Nuclear Weapons in adensely-populated area of the world and serves asa guide and institutional benchmark for thecreation of other zones of this type around theworld in order to avoid terrible events, as thosethat occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki inAugust of 1945.
During the Second Summit of the Communityof Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC),
held in Havana, Cuba, on January 2014, the region
was formally proclaimed as a “Peace Zone”. It
commits us to the promotion of Nuclear
Disarmament as a priority.
There is an urgent need to move towards
nuclear disarmament and to achieve full andgeneral elimination of nuclear weapons. On thisregard, Venezuela exhorts members of theinternational community to work together towards
the negotiations to develop an instrument
prohibiting nuclear weapons, which would beuniversal, legally binding, irreversible, verifiable
and that includes a multilaterally agreed timetable.
The international community must keep inmind the threat posed to humanity by thecontinued existence of nuclear weapons and their
possible use and that the total elimination of theseweapons is the only guarantee against the use or
threat of use thereof. Nuclear Disarmament isessential to rule out the danger of a nuclear war
and its devastating consequences.
It is important to note the historic visit ofPresident Barack Obama to Hiroshima last May,
where he appealed, during his remarks at the Peace
Memorial Park, for a "world without nuclear
weapons and that mankind would learn from its
mistakes to avoid new wars". Now, the planetneeds concrete actions from all countries
possessing nuclear weapons, oriented to their total
abolition.
Venezuela, as a member of the Treaty of
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, reaffirms
the necessity of its universalization to ensure a true
world of peace. In particular, we must strengthen
the three pillars of the NPT in a balanced andnon-discriminatory fashion, and ensure thatcommitments made at the NPT Review
Conference are fulfilled, especially by Nuclear
Weapon States. Venezuela rejects the doctrines ofstrategic defense of States possessing nuclear
weapons that not only establish justification for theuse or threat of use of nuclear weapons, but holds

to encourage nuclear disarmament. We cannot
wait for future generations to take care of thisimportant matter. We have to start now.
In this regard, it is a great honor to my country
that other 127 States have already rendered theirsupport to the so called “Humanitarian Initiative”.
These 127 States do not possess any nuclear
weapons, however they are determined to fill thecurrent legal vacuum that obstructs theirprohibition.
It is our historical and collective responsibility
to guarantee that the attacks to Hiroshima andNagasaki will never happen again.
Ladies and gentlemen:
Let us keep the memory of the Hibakusha alive.
Complete prohibition and elimination of nuclear
weapons are the best tribute that the international
community can give to the victims of August 1945,
as well as to the many survivors that keep sharing
their memories with us.
Mexico will not refrain from insisting that thisbrave testimony should be both, a warning and an
inspiration to keep working towards a more
equitable, more just and safer world, away fromthe nuclear threat.

Seiko Luis Ishikawa Kobayashi
Ambassador to Japan
Bolvarian Republic of Venezuela
On behalf of the Government and People of the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, it is an honor toconvey to all participants a message of solidarity at
this World Conference against Atomic andHydrogen Bombs, to commemorate the 71st
Anniversary of the heinous atomic bombing to thecities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in which
thousands of people died and caused catastrophic
humanitarian consequences.
We are perpetually reminded of the inhumane,indiscriminate and senseless destruction caused by
nuclear weapons every time we visit Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, every time we hear the terrible
experiences of the Hibakusha and every time welook back at the Second World War history.
As a fellow human being and father of threechildren, my heart aches at the sufferings anddevastation left by these sad and tragic events.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a
pacifist country, and its National Constitution
explicitly establishes in its objectives thepromotion of peace among nations and nuclear
disarmament.
In this context, Venezuela
advocates for the nuclear disarmament as the only
guarantee against the danger of atomic and93unacceptable concepts about international security
based on the promotion and development ofpolicies of nuclear deterrence.
In recent years, we have been honored by thenumerous visits of Hibakushas to Venezuela, whotravelled on board the Peace Boat, spreading amessage of peace around the world, demanding theprohibition and non-proliferation of nuclear
weapons. During their visit to Venezuela in June
2015, our people and government had theopportunity to hear the invaluable testimony ofthese Hibakushas.
On this occasion we reaffirm our support to theprinciples and objectives of the global network
initiative of Mayors for Peace, founded by theauthorities of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,of which Venezuela currently participates with 25
member cities.
As we commemorate the 71st anniversary of
the atomic bombs dropped in Hiroshima andNagasaki, my wife Erika and I would like toexpress our respect and appreciation to theorganizers and attendees at this World Conference
and to reiterate our commitment to jointly achievea world of peace, free from the threat of nuclear
weapons.

disaster hit Hiroshima, I decided to go home.
On the Miyuki Bridge was full of people who
were standing or sitting down with shock after
escaping from the dust or being burnt by the bomb
flash. Some of their hair stood on end. Others’
clothes or even skins were burnt and dangling.
They barely managed to get there. The scene wasjust like a hell on earth. There I saw 7 or 8
residents of Zaimoku Town. Later I would learn
that Mr. Tsuboi Sunao of the Japan Confederationof A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations was
also on Miyuki Bridge at that time.
Since fire and smoke stood in my way to myhouse from Miyuki Bridge, I had to go throughKoi Town where my schoolmate Ms. Imaoka wasliving. I walked in a river at low tide and on arailway bridge. It was very crowded on the way,
but I saw a lady acquaintance from Zaimoku Town,
and she took me to her parents’ house. Looking
up a red burning sky, I felt like my heart was
breaking. I could not sleep a wink on that night.
On the next day, the 7th of August, I went backto Zaimoku Town, which used to be a busy district.
Not only my house but also the whole area as far
as I could see was turned into a burning field.
Feeling like I was the only one left in thewasteland, I was overtaken with indescribablegrief and began trembling. Tears began to pourfrom my eyes, and I cried in a loud voice.
On the 8th, after the fire went down, I went
back to the area where my house had been located.
There I found two skeletons, one in the entrance
and the other in the kitchen. I thought they could
be my mother and older sister. I put their ashes
into a tea leaves can that we used to use. In frontof my house, 4 or 5 black ash-like objects werelying on the ground. “Are they my younger
brother Mamoru or my younger sister Noriko?” I
wondered, but there was nothing I could do.
While I was walking absent-mindedly, I saw adead woman body whose eyeballs popped out
about 2 or 3 cm because of the blast. She was alady at a cafe near my house together with her
unborn baby whose umbilical cord was stillconnected with the mother’s body. I placed myhands together in prayer before the charred bodies.
In the early morning of August 9, I went to
Ujina together with my neighbor Ms. Hiromori tolook for my family. We found out in a list of
rescuees that my father had been sent to Kanawa
Island. On his way to get food, he had beencaught under a collapsed building. Luckily he
was not severely injured, but his eyes were hurt.
In Kanawa Island, many girls school students andjunior high school students with major injuries andburns were sheltered.
They died one afterSpecial Program: 71 Years of the
A-Bombing: Aspirations of the
Hibakusha:
Matsumoto Hideko
Hibakusha of Hiroshima
Until that day 71 years ago, I was living in
Zaimoku Town with my 9 family members. The
Atomic bombing instantly took away the lives of
six of them: my mother, older sister, two younger
brothers, and two younger sisters. (A small stonemonument is located in the Peace Park toremember Zaimoku Town.)
That day, August 6, was a bright sunny
Monday. I was 15 years old at that time. Witha lunch box my mother made for me, I left myhouse around 7 a.m., heading for a girls school inMidori Town which was located about 3 km fromthe hypocenter. It was when I was chatting with
my friend in a classroom on the second floor of theschool. All of a sudden without nowhere mysight was covered with orange light, and I went
under a desk. Five or six seconds later when I
stood up to try to get out of the building, window
glass crushed to pieces by the bomb blast stuck in
the right side of my face and shoulder. I was
bleeding and ran outside. Hearing that a major94another and were buried in a hole at the foot of amountain.
After staying for two nights in Kanawa Island,
we decided to go to Ondo, which was my mother’s
hometown. When we were walking along thebank of Tenma River on our way to Hiroshima
Station, I found a piece of a burnt jacket of myyounger sister Kiku. It was the matching clothes
she and I had, made of my mother’s kimono. She
might have been here and headed for the river to
get water, while tearing off her smouldering jacket.
Kiku, who was 13 years old, went to the area onthat day to work on demolition of buildings.
The atomic bombing took the lives of my40-year-old mother, 17-year-old sister working at
Chugoku Shimbun, the 13-year-old sister in thesecond grade of junior high school, 7-year-old
brother in the first grade of elementary school,
2-year-old brother, and 4-year-old sister.
On the 12th, my father and I arrived in Ondo.
Then my father, who was 43 years old then, went
to our relatives’ house in Shimane Prefecture to
bring back my younger brother and sister who had
been evacuated there. When he came back twomonths later, we all cried to look at his conditions:Due to serious A-bomb radiation effects, he lost
his hair; his whole body became swollen; flesh
inside his mouth and upper jaw bone were melt;
and he lost his teeth. But he struggled to live andwork for me and my younger brother and sister
until he was diagnosed with stomach cancer anddied at age 58.
Now, I am 86 years old, and my life issupported by choral singing I began 10 years ago.
I found out that musician Mr. Takada waspracticing accordion at the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Park, the resting place of my older sisterand mother, who had loved singing. I believe
they have led me to join the “utagoe (singing
voice)” activities.
People around the world come to Hiroshima tolisten to the “silent voices of mementos left by
A-bomb victims” exhibited in the Hiroshima Peace
Memorial Museum. From this city, I want to callfor the abolition of nuclear weapons and peace
together with you all.

cargo handling worker at Hiroshima Station. My
mother worked hard to support the family’s
well-being. I was one of the four sons. My
family was a poor but ordinary family living inharmony. My older brother was a second graderat Onaga Elementary School, but I hear that hecouldn’t study at all due to frequent air raids.
Air-raid drills were prioritized over studying.
Then came the day: August 6, 1945. It was in
the morning. A sound of huge explosion was
immediately followed by a blast destroying ourwooden house. We found ourselves in hell.
Fortunately, thanks to our neighbors’ help, all ourfamily members survived. But my older brotherwas wounded. He has been enduring leg injury.
In the wake of the bombing, my family moved
to Funairi in order to return to my parents’
hometown in Korea. My parents once told me
what they had witnessed on the way. I neverrecall their story without a shudder. In Funairi,
my parents obtained a temporary house to live andgave their injured son medical treatment. It wasaround that time that the chance came. They
successfully boarded a smuggler and left Funairi
for Korea and they managed to reach theirhometown. There, my brother and sister wereborn. My father died in 1982 after a long battlewith liver cancer amid poverty. My mother diedof stomach cancer in 1995. My younger brotherdied in 2013 of larynx cancer. Two years later,
my younger sister died of a stomach cancer.
My parents thought that our family’s bitterness
came from heredity caused by radiation. They
thought they had to accept this fate. This is a sadhistory of an unfortunate family. I think the lossof loved ones is the most tragic thing the nuclear
weapons left to me. Times goes by helplessly.
This is the 71st year since the A-bombing.
We must understand that we are called upon tomaintain the historical view that no more tragedyof nuclear war is allowed. I will devote the restof my life to tackle this serious challenge.

Abacca Anjain Maddison
Former Senator/ Iju in Ean Club, Peopleof Rongelap
Marshall Islands

Koo Jung Sung
Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty Association
Republic of Korea“A Nuclear Weapons Free, Peaceful and Just
World”

My name is Koo Jung Sung. I am vicepresident of the Korean Atomic Bomb Casualty
Association.
The atomic bomb was dropped 71 years ago
when I was only two years old. My father was a

Mina San Konnichiwa and Iakwe!!
Twenty three years ago today since my father
passed on I am feeling blessed and honored tocarry on his legacy. My father was Jeton Anjain,95

forums. The new RMI Government administration
under President Hilda Heine is committed tonuclear issue agenda as priority and acted
accordingly in the following….Endorsement of
RMI’s case in the International Court of Justice(ICJ) in Hague; signing of President Heine of theUnited Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals
and by calling all heads of governments for
consultation to integrate and localize the SDGs
into our National Strategic Plan addressing nuclear
issues, climate change, eradicate poverty, etc. toachieve before or by 2030. And to further ouraction, on Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll for the first time,
Bikini Day commemoration on March 1st, 2017
will be held.
To end my speech I wish to express sincere
appreciation for the opportunity to work closelywith uncle John and Nelson Anjain and with
Lemeyo Abon, Lijohn Eknilang and Betty Edmondto name a few through Gensuikyo and Japanesehibakusha. Thank you for making my family thesymbol of solidarity between the people of Japanand Marshall Islands.
Let us keep the spirit
alive and take our cooperation and friendship insolidarity to a higher level. No More Hiroshima,
No More Nagasaki No More Bikini bravo
shot….We Shall Overcome!

the late senator who led the people of Rongelap
from living in highly contaminated homeland.
He fought injustices with every energy he had in
his sick body till the last breath. He made known
world-wide how nuclear weapons indiscriminately
destroy human lives and planet earth. This is thevery same reason we are here today in Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
In March this year, RMI’s case took place in
the International Court of Justice at the Hague andForeign Minister Tony deBrum in his testimony
explained briefly about the Marshall Islands. He
said, “The Marshal Islands has a unique anddevastating history with nuclear weapons. Whileit was designated as a Trust Territory by theUnited Nations, no fewer than 67 atomic andthermonuclear
weapons
weredeliberately
exploded as ‘tests’ in the Marshalls Islands, by theUnited States. Several islands in my country as aresult of the tests vaporized and gone from the faceof the earth and others remain uninhabitable forthousands of years. Many, many Marshallese
died, suffered birth defects never before seen andbattled cancers resulting from the contamination.
Tragically the Marshall Islands thus bears
eye-witness to the horrific and indiscriminate
lethal capacity of these weapons, and theinter-generational and continuing effects that they
perpetuate even 60 years later”.
Mr. TonydeBrum now serves as the ambassador in charge of
the Climate Change, a new position within
Government and he asked me to convey hishighest regards to all.
Of the special significance was the largest test
conducted code-named Castle Bravo, a
15-megaton thermonuclear device tested on March
1st, 1954 on Bikini Atoll, 1,000 times greater than
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Because of
the Bravo shot incident the people of Rongelap
and Utirik and Japanese fishermen on Daigo
Fukuryu Maru shared and experienced radiation
effects from the nuclear fallout. Their lives
became not their own but as subject matter in thescience and medical field, etc. In Rongelap’scase, the people, including children were used in
the Project 4.1 to further advance the knowledge
regarding radiation effect on human being andcontinue to be in the Department of Energy
medical program to this day.
We must strengthen our collaborations andfinding new partners and networking at all levels.
At home more non-government organizations,
including youth groups are established and aretaking active roles in making known the nuclear
legacy in public and mass media. More schools
are teaching about nuclear experience in RMI andaround the world and engaging students in public

For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons– Speeches by Overseas Delegates:
Gediminas Rimdeika
The Green Policy Institute/ LithuanianGreen Party
Lithuania
The decision on ending the war at the expenseof peaceful people by dropping the nuclear bombson the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki taken 71
years ago by the authorities of the USA wascondemned by the people of the world. The
current President of the United States Barack
Obama’s visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
several months ago and his bowing to
HIBAKUSHAS (atomic bomb survivors) were an
indirect-silent apology for the global error
committed by his predecessors, a deep
understanding of the former senseless step, or,perhaps it was a firm step towards “the world
without nuclear weapons”.
We want to appeal to the heads of the GreatPowers: Sirs, heads of the powerful states, thatpossess the nuclear weapons – all of you have to
visit the Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorials; thiswould help you better understand the senselessness96

us in seeking for the common goal –The World
Without Nuclear Weapons.

of the existence of the nuclear weapon, you have tobend in memory of the Hibakushas and say to
yourselves the following – NO TO THE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS, our country will not havethis weapon, we shall invest these funds into
building kindergartens and schools.
Unfortunately, the events of the last spring inNorth Korea say to us that we have to concentrate
all progressive forces and work hard in this sphere.
Following a successful example of yourorganization involving the youth into a fightagainst nuclear and hydrogen weapons, meetings
with school children have been organized forseveral years already at schools in Lithuania. On
the first of March this year and this is a symbolic
date - the 62nd anniversary of the explosion of thefirst hydrogen bomb in the world - with the help of
Gensuikyo organization, we started the educational
Lithuanian-Japanese project - exhibition ofHiroshima and Nagasaki: The Atomic Bomb andHumanity. The exhibition encourages the school
children and members of the society to draw
attention to the global problems of the world thatpose a threat to the existence of humanity andhumanism. At the present time this exhibition is
being exposed in Lithuanian schools andorganizations. During the conference it was
displayed at the Parliament (Seimas) of the
Republic of Lithuania.
The future belongs to the younger generation.
This is not a hackneyed phrase. Having becomeacquainted with the short-sightedness andsenselessness of the armaments race and having
understood it well, the younger generation is going
to continue the march The World without the
Nuclear Weapons that we have staged today withfull responsibility. Such people as Putin, Merkel,
Obama or Kim Jong-un cannot impose their
viewpoints and positions on the world and cannot
dictate it. We shall try to achieve that in the
future the countries should start competing for thenumber of modern kindergartens and schools,
institutions of higher education, for the best social
guarantees, for the highest standard of living andfor the elimination of the stockpiles of nuclear
weapons.
In May 2016, during the international
conference held in Lithuania, where the thirtiethanniversary of the Chernobyl disaster wascommemorated, the residents of Chernobyl who
reside in Lithuania awarded the Japaneseorganisation Gensuikyo and its Representative
Director Hiroshi Takakusaki with the gold medal
For Public Interest. This is our very modest
contribution to the mighty (grandiose) work, which
you perform for the sake of humanity. Your
nation and your organisation has set an example toSelma van Oostwarrd
PAX
The Netherlands
It is a great honour for me to be invited to
speak to you here today.
It is special moment for me to stand here in
Japan again. Last year I had the honour to visit
Hiroshima for the first time. Together with agroup of other young nuclear disarmamentcampaigners from all over the world we listened tothe story of Ms. Toshiko Tanaka, who was 6 years
old
when
the
atomicbomb
wasdropped on Hiroshima. Ms. Tanaka shared that
she was 70 years old when she could even begin totalk about what happened. “To re-live the pain
and horror is too much for anyone to bear… thescars may have faded away but the bad memories
still remain”, she said. Like Ms. Tanaka, I cannot
believe why we, in the year 2016, still allow only 9
countries to possess more than 15,000 nuclear
weapons.
Today I am asked to elaborate on the national
campaigning work of PAX, the organization I
represent. Nuclear weapons are the only weaponsof mass destruction that have not yet beenprohibited by an international treaty, therefore
PAX is working towards a ban on nuclear weapons.
We are based in the Netherlands. Although
the Netherlands does not possess nuclear weapons
itself, my country participates in theNATO nuclear weapons sharing agreements andhosts about 20 U.S. B-61 warheads at the Volkel
Air Base – which is one of the worst
kept secrets in NATO and Europe.
When the Humanitarian Initiative evolved
within the framework of the NPT in 2013, we
decided that it was time to scale up our national
campaign work. Because suddenly we had amajority of the world's governments (159 states)
saying loud and clear that nuclear weapons should
never be used again, under any circumstances.
And we had a majority of the world's governments(127 states) pledging to negotiate a new treaty toprohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately my country, the Netherlands, is not
one of them.
Due to these developments at international
level, we decided to use a Dutch political
campaigning tool which is called a ‘citizen’s
initiative’: if you gather more than 40,000
signatures for a proposal on a topic that hasn’t
been discussed in Dutch Parliament in the last two97

years, the Parliament is obliged to talk about yourproposal. The citizen’s initiative got the support
from religious leaders, Dutch celebrities, a long listof mayors from various political parties andpolitical youth wings. Our main partners were
the Dutch Red Cross and one of the largest ethicalbanks in the Netherlands.
In April, this year, our proposal ‘Ban nuclear
weapons in the Netherlands’ was discussed in
Parliament. Several motions were put forward by
parliamentarians during the April debate, and fourof them received majority support during thevoting session.
The most important motion
adopted by a large majority is the motion that calls
upon the Dutch government to actively work on
the start of negotiations on an international treaty
banning nuclear weapons. The parliament also
endorsed the proposal to disclose the secret treatieson the basis of which nuclear weapons were placedin the Netherlands and supported the request to use
the unwanted modernization of nuclear weapons in
Europe to boost global nuclear disarmament.
Lastly, the House called upon the Dutch
government to cumulatively reject its nuclear
task in consultation with the United States.
Due to the citizen’s initiative nuclear
disarmament is high on the political agenda.
Unfortunately the Dutch government still hasn’t
taken the step we want: call for the start ofnegotiations. However, with a majority of Dutch
citizen’s and the Parliament calling upon thegovernment to actively participate in theinternational negotiations on a ban treaty, a clear
majority of UN member states calling to start thesenegotiations, they can’t deny anymore that they
have to forward.
States choosing to stall nuclear disarmament
processes are gambling with our families, our lives
and our futures. And I, as a young person, as a
Dutch citizen, European citizen and global citizen,urge them not to squander, but use this opportunity,
to move forward and start negotiations. And to
all of you here I would like to say: thank you foryour great efforts and dedication, together we canmake a difference, and together we can achieve aworld without nuclear weapons.

their visit to Spain last year, spreading the neededvoice of nuclear disarmament in a country without
nuclear weapons, but a country supporting its
military and nuclear allies from NATO and theirpositions in favor of military responses to conflicts,
which are creating a more insecure world.
Nowadays hegemonic doctrine of security anddefense is based on War on Terror of George W.
Bush trying to fight Al Qaeda first and ISIS now
under the false assumption of preemptive war.
The result is well known by all of you: more war,
more bombing, more terrorism and more insecurity
than the day after 11-S.
Nuclear deterrence is part of this logic ofpreemptive war, because it generates fear in theenemy, becoming nuclear deterrence a preemptive
threat.
Military expenditure, all the arms of the world
are not contributing to create more security but
more terror with bombings in Iraq and arming the
war in Syria and all countries in the Middle East.
War on Terror is creating more terror.
Nuclear weapons have not prevented terrorist
attacks on major military powers in the world.
Why? Because security is not achieved byweapons and military power. It needs other kindsof actions.
From this point of view, reducing threats to our
security means reducing and abolishing nuclear
weapons. Because they are a real threat to our
security for different reasons:- Likely to be used by irresponsible governments
or armed groups- Accident on their facilities- Pollution during thousands of years- Attacked by terrorist groups
Why do we have arms in the world, why do wehave people ready to use them? Because we havemoney to do it. Military budget or military
expenditure is the beginning of the armaments andwar cycle. Without military spending there is no
possibility to pay armies, buying arms ordeveloping new weapons.
Global military expenditure in 2015 was $1.7
trillion, 2.3% of the world’s total Gross Domestic
Product.
IPB promotes together with many other peaceorganizations in the world the Global Campaign on
Military Spending, which propose to use military
resources to cover human needs.
Besides that, nuclear weapons maintenanceand developing have an extraordinary cost in theworld every year. USA plans to spend in 30
years around 1 trillion of dollars only modernizing
nuclear weapons.
How much other nuclear
possessing states are going to spend to maintainand improve their nuclear arsenals?

Jordi Calvo Rufanges
International Peace Bureau/ Centre Delàsfor Peace Studies, Spain
Disarmament for development and peace
Dear friends and colleagues, I’m delighted tobe here in the World Conference against A and H
Bombs. Thanks to Gensuikyo and Hibakushas for98

Military budget, including money used fornuclear weapons is enough to end poverty in theworld in only one year.
Moreover, it’s important to consider otherresources related to nuclear weapons expenditure.
Financing nuclear arms producers is one of themain activities that divest resources from real
economy to war and defense economics. 3 out of
4 weapons wouldn’t exist without banks support.
There are 382 banks, insurance companies,
pension funds and asset managers from 27
countries that invest in the nuclear weapon
industry of USD 493 billion. In Japan, thebiggest investors are Mitsubishi UFJ Financial(Japan), and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (Japan).
Let’s stop War on terror cycle that is creating
more terror.
Let’s fight against arms business. Let’s takeout our money from banks that finance arms
industry and nuclear weapons producers. Let’s
move the money from military expenditure tosocial and development spending.

a cherry tree was planted many years ago by the
local mayor in memory of the victims of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Our speakers this year represent many faiths
and races – including Muslims, Buddhists, Roman
Catholics, Quakers, and an elderly Jewish man, asurvivor of Hitler’s Germany, who is also Vice
President of CND.
2016 is an important year for us in Britain –the year in which the government will finalise its
plans to upgrade Trident, Britain’s nuclear
weapons system.
In February CND held the biggest nuclear
disarmament protest in a generation calling on thegovernment to Stop Trident! And we have held
many other actions across the country to letparliament know that the British public is opposed
to Trident.
Our cause is greatly helped by the election of
Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party,
which is the chief opposition party in Britain.
Jeremy’s campaign was three-fold: against
austerity, against war, and against nuclear
weapons.
He is a life-long member of CND. Shortly
after his election last September he announced on
TV that if he became prime minister he would
never press the nuclear button.
This caused outrage and frenzy among thepolitical establishment, including members ofparliament from his own party. But Jeremy
continues to attract huge support, especially fromyoung people who are tired of grey-suitedpoliticians who don’t represent their views or theirinterests.
CND stand with you in the defence of Article 9of your constitution.
We will continue our struggle alongside youfor an end to nuclear weapons!
For a more just, peaceful and secure world!

Carol Turner
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
U.K.
Good afternoon everyone. I thank our hosts
for the opportunity to address you, and bringgreetings from the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament UK.
It is a great pleasure to visit Hiroshima for the
first time, and an honour to join you incommemorating the many victims of the terrible
nuclear disaster visited on this city in 1945. The
atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wasnothing less than an act of state terrorism
committed by the United States. And I am
ashamed that my government, the British
government collaborated and supported thisdishonourable act.
And a privilege to hear first-hand some of the
Hibakusha’s stories, and to learn that the second
generation is continuing the struggle to rid theworld of these weapons of mass indiscriminate
destruction.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was
launched in February 1958, three years after thefounding of the Japanese Council against A andH
Bombs.
Nowadays our membership numbers in theregion of 35,000 people – national members of
CND and of the many local groups around Britain.
I am chair of London Region CND, where about
20% of our members are based.
Each year we hold a ceremony in a park where

Joseph Gerson
American Friends Service Committee
U.S.A.
Minasan konnichiwa. It is privilege to rejoin
the World Conference. Here we mark and learn
from one of the greatest war crimes in humanhistory and recommit ourselves to the restorationof a nuclear free world.
A special thanks to those who have opposed
Abe’s campaign to eliminate Article 9 and impose
the
LDP’s
emperor-centric,humanrights-assaulting alternative constitution. Thanks
too to those who joined the resistance to U.S. bases99

in Okinawa. It’s time to end colonialism in
Okinawa, Japan and elsewhere.
These are dangerous times. There are thetensions between rising and declining powers,
nuclear and high-tech arms races; resurgent
nationalism,
territorial
disputes,resource
competition, complex alliances, economic
integration and competition, and wild card actors.
Former US Secretary of Defense Perry warns
that “the danger of some sort of nuclear
catastrophe is greater than it was during the ColdWar.” An incident during provocative military
exercises could trigger the unimaginable.
Hillary Clinton is the candidate ofmilitary-industrial complex. She says nuclear
weapons can be abolished “in some century”, notthis one. Her leading nuclear weapons advisor
tells us that nuclear weapons are “indispensable”.
Trump would be the ultimate unaccountable
nuclear monarchist. He’s repeatedly asked why
we can’t use nuclear weapons and refused to ruleout nuking ISIS.
Governments on their own will not rid theworld of nuclear-weapons free world.
That
requires powerful popular pressure from below.
Our job is to force our governments to begin
negotiating a nuclear weapons abolition
convention. We need to bring pressure fromevery possible source, including collaborations
with supportive governments.
AFSC works with host of partners. With our
Governing Under the Influence campaign, we
challenged the corrupting influences of themilitary-industrial complex and the super-rich.
Opposing spending $1 trillion to upgrade thenuclear arsenal, activists sought out presidential
candidates, asking questions that educated theaudience, the candidates and the media. The
campaign contributed to the Democratic Party’s
new commitment to reduce nuclear weapons
spending, if not abolition.
Before Obama came to Hiroshima, ourstatement - signed by 75 prominent scholars andactivists - urged him to announce concrete actions
for disarmament: cancelling the $1 trillion triad,
reducing the U.S. arsenal to stimulate disarmament
diplomacy, and challenging Putin to join in
negotiations for a nuclear weapons abolition
convention. The statement was delivered to theWhite House, and provided framing andencouragement for many thousands of activists
and the general public.
We won the Cambridge’s City Council
unanimous vote to divest from financial
institutions involved in producing nuclear weapons.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors cited ourresolution as a model, urging other cities to follow

100suit. Peace and Planet is now promoting the“Chain Reaction “events, and we’ve organizedother events, including at next week’s World
Social Forum.
Let me close by urging support for theinternational petition campaign. As the Presidentof the NPT Review Conference said last year, yourpetitions and our actions reflected the demands ofinternational civil society. The new petition
campaign is especially important given the Abe
Cabinet’s assertion that Japan has the right topossess nuclear weapons, as well as to reinforce
the door opened by the Open Ended Working
Group.
Peace & Planet has already begun
promoting it.
Friends, these are dangerous times that requirecommitted responses. Martin Luther King Jr.
reminded us that "It is not enough to say we must
not wage war. It is necessary,” he said, “to love
peace and sacrifice for it."
Together, withimagination, commitment, sacrifice and will, weshall overcome, Gambaro!

Determination of Grass-roots
Movements in Japan:
Misaki Kaoru
Fukushima Gensuikyo
I come from Fukushima city. My name is
Kaoru Misaki. I am able to come on this stage
thanks to warm support of many friends of ours.
It is now over five years since that tragic day.
Before coming to this conference, I was asked tomake a banner for our delegation to display in theconference. It was a good chance for me to lookback over our steps taken till now and think about
what message we Fukushima people should sendout. For me, the meaning of the March 11 is soheavy, and the lessons we learned so many, that
this banner alone cannot express even a part ofthem.
There was a report about US President
Obama’s visit to Hiroshima that he visited the
A-bomb museum there for only a few minutes,
while he had a nuclear football kept carrying withhim. I felt disappointed to know that. Yet,
prompted by the words of a media commentatorthat “All Japanese should go to Hiroshima first ofall”, I decided to come to Hiroshima. The imageof the banner then came up in mind.
A thin veil covering the banner, as you see
before you, represents the present situation of
Fukushima. Though low level, radioactive
materials remain sitting in mountainous andforest-rich Fukushima. It also shows anxiety ofthe evacuees about their uncertain future, and myown pent-up anger. The blue sky represents the“true sky” which Takamura Chieko, an artist from
Nihonmatsu of Fukushima, used to keep painting
in her mind. Following Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
now “Fukushima” is a common language in theworld to represent nuclear disaster. Will it beable to retrieve the “true sky”?
There is still no way found to remove melted
nuclear fuel from the first, second and third
reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi NPP. It
remains saturated with endlessly welling polluted
water. The attempt of blocking undergroundwater by constructing ice-wall simply did not work.
The leaders of the “Nuclear Damage
Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation
Corporation” finally began talking about“sarcophagus as option”, to contain the reactors introuble. Everyone in the prefecture, including thegovernor, fiercely opposed it and had it repealed.
The compensation paid to the evacuees will beterminated next year. That policy is not standing
close to those who lost their houses, rice fields andfamilies. The biggest damage of all, for them,must be the loss of their own communal ties, longcherished way of life and good memories. I am
not sure how well this state of the evacuees isknown to people in the farther west of Tokyo.
We do have a hope, however. In the electionof the House of Councillors in July, the united
candidate of the opposition parties, standing on thepolicies of decommissioning all 10 reactors of the
Fukushima NPPs and of abolishing the war laws,
won the election, defeating the competing
candidate, who had been the incumbent Ministerof Justice. In addition, a young candidate, whospared no effort to support the sufferers of the
Tsunami and NPP accident and worked to realize
the desire of the prefectural people to abolish
NPPs, was also elected to the House. The young
people, who energetically fought the election
campaign together with the Citizens’ Coalition, arethe hope of Fukushima.
We are still at a start line. There is a long
way to go. Yet, I should like you to keep giving
heed to voices of Fukushima. Neither humans
nor sciences are perfect. We are sure that both
nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants would
lead the human race to ruin. I want this message
to reach those people who are pressing to restart
NPP on this earthquake-ridden archipelago, those
who are eager to promote nuclear arms race, those
who quietly support them, and also to those who
do not yet know what day August 6 is.
We want a true blue sky. May this white veil
be cleared off. Can we do it? Yes, We Can.

101

Niga Satomi
Kyoto Chapter, New Japan Women’s
Association
It was only a few months ago that I was asked
if I wanted to participate in the World Conference
against A and H Bombs. I was interested in the
Conference, but I felt uneasy and pressured
because I was not involved in the activities for theelimination of nuclear weapons before, so I did notknow what I should and could do.
In preparation for attending the Word
Conference, I went to see Ms. Odaka Miyoko, aHibakusha who lives in Kyoto City, to hear her
story with my Shinfujin colleagues last June.
When the A-bomb was dropped, Odaka-san was
20 years old and five-month pregnant. What she
told us was so vivid that we felt like we wereseeing the scene immediately after the bomb was
dropped.
It was the first time for me to hear the story of
Hibakusha directly and I was very nervous. But
Odaka-san’s personality helped me to unwind andrather than feeling shocked and scared, I felt likeshe was sharing her precious memories with me.
When I told her that I was going to Hiroshima in
August, she said that she was not able to go
because of her bad legs, and asked me to pray forthe victims for her. Her words released mytension and I said to myself, “On August 6 inHiroshima, I will pray for the victims with mychildren and colleagues. That is how I get
started.” Seeing Odaka-san watching us walk off,
I felt as if she had given me a gentle, supportive
push.
In July, we took to streets for the International
Signature Campaign in support of the Appeal of
the Hibakusha with Ms. Hanagaki Rumi, who was
exposed to the A-bomb radiation in Hiroshima at
age 5. She took the microphone to ask the people
on the street to sign the petition, saying that she
did not want anyone else to feel the agony she had
to go through and that she wanted to eliminate
nuclear weapons from the world. I was amazedand touched by the power of her words and strong
resolve that there should never be another tragedy
caused by nuclear weapons. And I wanted morethan ever to learn as much as I could in Hiroshima
and to share it with others.
Every year, on the morning of August 6, I
watch the Peace Memorial Ceremony on TV andtake a moment of silence at home. Last year mychildren asked me for the first time what I wasdoing. I thought for a while and said to them,“Today is the day that a bomb called atomic bomb
was dropped on Hiroshima and a number of peopledied many years ago when Japan was waging war.
So I am praying for those who died.”
This year, encouraged by the Hibakusha andShinfujin colleagues who have long beencommitted to the peace movement, I was able toattend the World Conference with my children.
And standing here, I am wondering what I can doon August 6 next year. Empowered by what I
have learned and supported by my friends, I could
reach here, and I hope to be able to take action in
my own way. If my children ask me again what I
am doing, I want to answer that I am doing mybest to eliminate nuclear weapons from the world.
With the desire of the Hibakusha and the valueof life of each and every person in my mind, I will
move forward step by step for a world without
nuclear weapons.
Let’s chant: “I Am the One to collectsignatures in support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha!”Matsuura Shunta
Tokyo Students Tour to the 2016 World
Conference
My name is Matsuura Shunta, studying at auniversity in Tokyo. We are from the Tokyo
Students Tour to the 2016 World Conference, and
34 students are participating in this year’s World
Conference against A and H Bombs.
In
preparation for the conference, we had meetings inTokyo; we heard experiences from the Hibakusha
living in Tokyo, and studied the situation overnuclear weapons in Japan and the world. A
Hibakusha who had entered Hiroshima City after
the bombing said, “I cannot yet forget the shocking
smell of dead bodies of men and women, or
horses.” Some others said they were exposed tothe atomic bombing when they were just babies orlittle children with no memory of those days, andyet they have long lived with worries over A-bombdiseases or radiation effects. We learned thateach Hibakusha has different and own experiences
and stories.
After we had these meetings, we began to thinkthat in Hiroshima we should use all five senses,
not only visual sense, when we listen to
Hibakusha’s stories and should re-experience themourselves. We decided to make our tour lead us
to clearly come to feel that “Another Hibakusha
must never be created,” which is the earnest desire
expressed in the International Hibakusha Signature
Campaign for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
We also confirmed with each other that we should
study hard about the Hibakusha’s experiences,including their sufferings of discrimination as well102

as the peace movement which has continuously
supported the Hibakusha for over 60 years.
The four-year university days are a period
when their sense of value or sensibility drasticallychanges and develops. I am sure that this year’s
Students Tour contributed to deepening theirunderstanding about what true anger was anddeveloping their ability to think, through listening
to the Hibakusha’s testimonies and having active
discussions.
After we go back to Tokyo, we are going tostrengthen the ties among the students born fromthe tour and with the Hibakusha living in Tokyo,
and engage in activities to pass the Hibakusha’s
stories to the next generations and friends aroundus. In so doing, I think the most important thingis to talk about with our own words the inhumannature of nuclear weapons and what we learned in
the A-bombed city Hiroshima, not “information
someone clips off” from the Internet, etc.
At present, Japan is moving toward acompletely opposite direction to what the
Hibakusha have long looked forward to. For
example, the elected Tokyo governor openly said
Japan should have nuclear weapons; and amajority of the present Cabinet members belong toan organization that insists the past war waged by
Japan was correct. With the determination that
“We will never be Hibakusha again” deep in ourhearts, we students will work on the signature
campaign and gather small voices from people inTokyo so that we can create a large stream leading
to the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Proposal for Action:
Yasui Masakazu
Japan Council against A and H Bombs
Thank you for your participation in thediscussions during the three-day World
Conference in Hiroshima. First of all, I would liketo express my heartfelt appreciation and solidarity
to Mr. Kim Won-soo, High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations;Ambassador Sergio Duarte, former U.N. High
Representative
for
Disarmament
Affairs;
Ambassador Miguel Ruiz-Cabañas Izquierdo,
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; andother government representatives and leaders of
the anti-nuclear peace movements in the
Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and the United States
for coming to Hiroshima to join the World
Conference. My gratitude also goes to Mayor
Matsui Kazumi of Hiroshima for sending us amessage and to the Hibakusha of Japan andwhich human beings can never coexist, and call for
their prohibition and elimination.
During this World Conference, many
participants have shared their determination to
engage in the Hibakusha signature campaign. Oneof them said that by listening to the Hibakusha’s
appeal, he is now determined to work on thesignature campaign as his lifework.
Many
participants in discussions at workshops expressed
their commitments to build a nationwide
movement, convinced by the expanding
collaboration among citizens and opposition
parties both against the war legislation and for the
restoration of constitutionalism.
Let us start our actions immediately toward the
U.N. General Assembly session in autumn. I callon you to initiate numerous gatherings to report on
the outcome of the World Conference, learn about
and discuss the “Declaration of the International
Meeting” and other resolutions, and try to involve
your
local
communities
andmunicipal
governments in the Hibakusha signature campaign.
With Hibakusha leading the way, let us bringsuccess to joint actions on September 26, theInternational Day for the Total Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons, by inviting a wide range of
people in all municipalities, communities,
workplaces, and school campuses throughout
Japan. With the power of our grassroots voices
and actions, let us open a door leading to a world
without nuclear weapons.

nuclear victims from other parts of the world formaking valuable contributions to this World
Conference.
In addition, I would like to extend my sincere
thankfulness to the members of the Hiroshima
Organizing Committee, interpreters, staff, andeveryone else who was involved in the preparation
for the conference.
The United Nations has started substantial
discussions on a treaty to ban and abolish nuclear
weapons, which our World Conference against A& H Bombs has long called for. Amid this new
move, this year’s World Conference has become ahistoric gathering in setting out concrete actions toachieve this goal.
In order for the forthcoming U.N. General
Assembly to decide on starting negotiations for atreaty to prohibit nuclear weapons, it is crucial tobreak through the obstructions set by the nuclear
weapon states and their allies.
The Organization Committee of the World
Conference sent the “Declaration of theInternational Meeting” to the Chairperson of theOpen-ended Working Group (OEWG) meeting,which began yesterday in Geneva to discuss“concrete effective legal measures” to achieve “aworld without nuclear weapons.”
And werequested that the OEWG include thecommencement of negotiations for a treaty to ban
and eliminate nuclear weapons in therecommendations to be submitted to the coming
session of the UN General Assembly.
What is needed now is to overwhelmingly
strengthen public opinion and the movement inorder to encircle and isolate the obstructing forces.
The Japanese government, acting as a spokesman
for the nuclear weapon states at the OEWG
meetings, turns its back on the effort to completely
ban nuclear weapons. The biggest responsibility
for us in the Japanese movement is to get ourgovernment to play an appropriate role as theworld’s only A-bombed country. Let us defeat
the ambition to change Article 9 of the JapaneseConstitution held by the Abe government, which isdominated by Yasukuni Shrine advocates who callon Japan to arm itself with nuclear weapons andtry to glorify the past war of aggression.
The most significant key to our success is the“International Signature Campaign in Support of
the Appeal of the Hibakusha” aimed at collecting
hundreds of millions of signatures throughout theworld. In this signature campaign, Hibakusha of
the world’s only A-bombed country describe theactual damage caused by nuclear weapons, with103

A Call from Hiroshima“You, your families and relatives, or any other people should not be made Hibakusha again. We
believe that your signatures appended to this appeal will add up to the voices of hundreds of millions
of people around the world and move international politics. They will finally save the future of ourblue planet and all life on it.”
-International Signature Campaign in Support of the Appeal of the Hibakusha
for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
We are commemorating the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when there are newdevelopments that are pushing the doors open towards a “world without nuclear weapons”. Substantive
discussions have started at last at the United Nations on a convention that will prohibit and abolish nuclear
weapons definitively.
The U.N. Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) to address “concrete effective legal measures” forachieving a world without nuclear weapons has become a ground-breaking forum in developing proposals
about elements to be included in a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons and the convening of a conference tonegotiate such a treaty. We call on the OEWG to make concrete propositions to the United Nations
General Assembly, including the commencement of negotiations on a convention that will outlaw andeliminate nuclear weapons.
The power of the Japanese movement to ban A and H bombs and of anti-nuclear and peace movements
around the world that have persistently denounced the inhumane nature of nuclear weapons has opened a
new page in history and is now leading to new progress. It is the time for all world leaders to visit the
A-bombed city to squarely face the realities of the atomic bombing. Let us respond to the earnest desireof Hibakusha who want to achieve a world without nuclear weapons at any cost while they are still alive.
Let us work to see both a powerful public opinion and movement to surround and isolate the countries thatcling to the notion of “nuclear deterrence”.
The Abe government has played the role of spokesman of nuclear weapons countries in the OEWG.
In Japan, it forced the enactment of the War Laws in total disregard of Article 9 of the Constitution. Not
satisfied with the re-interpretation of the Constitution, Abe does not hesitate to show his ambition to amend
the text of Article 9.
Workers as well as a wide range of the population have stood up to demand abrogation of the War
Laws and recovery of Constitutionalism and prevention of the revision of Article 9. Joint efforts ofcitizens with opposition parties, including college and high school students, women and researchers havedeveloped significantly.

In Okinawa, a struggle involving nearly all of the local population is spreading to

oppose the construction of a new base and to demand the reduction and dismantling of a U.S. marine baseas well as all other U.S. bases.
Let us further expand the tide of democracy in which each and every citizen takes action and unites
with others to change Japan and the world.

104

Let us now build a huge groundswell of public opinion calling for the start of negotiations for aconvention banning and abolishing nuclear weapons. The International Signature Campaign in Support of
the “Appeal of the Hibakusha, the Atomic Bomb Survivors of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, for the Eliminationof Nuclear Weapons” must be developed involving local communities and local assemblies. Using U.N.
initiatives including the U.N. General Assembly session, the U.N. Day for the Elimination of Nuclear
Weapons (September 26) and U.N. Disarmament Week (October 24 to 31), let us realize international joint
actions from the grassroots.
In conjunction with the signature campaign, we must learn and disseminate the knowledge about theatomic bombing. Let us organize A-bomb exhibitions and Hibakusha testimonies in every town andvillage. Let us make use of cultural means such as images, music and theater as well as social media intransmitting the experiences of Hibakusha, their desires and struggles. Let us also multiply our activities
of support for and solidarity with Hibakusha to demand a radical review of the A-bomb Disease
Recognition System and State compensation for Hibakusha.
Let us demand the government strictly observe the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and put them into law,as well as exit from the U.S. nuclear deterrent –the nuclear umbrella – and take the lead in international
efforts for the conclusion of a convention banning and eliminating nuclear weapons.
Let us build joint actions of citizens and opposition parties to defeat the goal of the Abe government
which wants to give a perilous twist to the Constitution, and let us get the War Laws abrogated. Let us
keep maintain strong solidarity with the all-Okinawan struggle to prevent the construction of helipads at
Takae. Let us intensify our campaign for the reduction and withdrawal of U.S. bases. Let us oppose thestrengthening of the Japan-U.S. military alliance and achieve a non-nuclear and peaceful Japan.
Let us oppose the restart of nuclear power plants and work in firm solidarity with the campaign forchange from nuclear power generation to natural energy production. Let us oppose the destruction of jobs
and living conditions and fight against the extension of poverty and social inequalities. Let us enhance thecampaign for reduction of military spending to allocate more money to protect life, livelihood and jobs.
Let us achieve a non-nuclear and peaceful Japan and a world without nuclear weapons, united under thecommon goal of preserving peace, life and livelihood.
No more Hiroshimas. No more Nagasakis. No more Hibakusha. No more war.
August 6, 2016
Hiroshima Rally, 2016 World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs

1052016 World Conference against A and H Bombs – Nagasaki
International Forum: “For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons -Grass-roots Movement and International Solidarity”(August 8)
Hiroshima. I think it was epoch-making. In alarger move, since the Review Conference of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2010, we haveseen all kinds of efforts to eliminate nuclear
weapons from the viewpoint of considering themas inhumane weapons.
Through these
discussions going forward, the difference ofstandpoints between states possessing or
depending on nuclear weapons and non-nuclear
weapon states is becoming clearer. In a sense,
the move looks stagnant or even going backward.
But I think we are at a point where we face a wallafter having achieved progress. That is why weshould keep up efforts of holding meetings like
this, discussing ideas, exchanging opinions andgoing beyond the wall. This year’s Nagasaki
Peace Declaration will refer to this.
Among them, today’s topic “For a Total Ban
on Nuclear Weapons - Grassroots Movement andInternational Solidarity” is particularly important.

Greetings from Nagasaki Mayor:
Taue Tomihisa
Mayor of Nagasaki City
Good afternoon. I would like to express myheartfelt gratitude for your holding of the 2016
World Conference against Atomic & Hydrogen
Bombs and the International Forum here in
Nagasaki.
On behalf of 430,000 Nagasaki
citizens, I genuinely welcome all of you fromaround Japan and the world. I am sure you havealready discussed a lot of topics. I sincerely
apologize for my late arrival and thank you forgiving me an opportunity to speak in the middle ofthe discussion.
Perhaps somebody already talked about thissubject but today we can see various changes
around the issue of nuclear weapons. In May,
President Obama visited the A-bombed city of106

As for international solidarity, the opinions forestablishing a legal framework to ban nuclear
weapons are becoming stronger and stronger. It
is states that can create such a legal framework.
Then the states are moved by civil society, NGOs,
other various groups and, perhaps, the United
Nations. These people and groups should beunited to encourage, sometimes criticize andsupport the states in order to move them forward.
This is the role of international solidarity and I
think it is critically important to encircle the statesby the voices for eliminating nuclear weapons.
To achieve this, though individual voice is tiny, weneed to unite and make our voices stronger. We
have coordinated with other cities around theworld to have more opportunities to express ouropinion. Today, over 7,000 cities around Japanand the world join a group called Mayors for
Peace. Such move should be strengthened. In
addition to this mayors’ network, we need tocreate a lot more networks around the globe.
Meanwhile, I think grassroots movement isalso crucial. Particularly, as 71 years have almost
passed since the A-bombings, it is getting more
and more difficult for people in Japan to listen to
the direct experiences of the bombings and even
the war itself. In 10 to 20 years, the time will
come when we cannot hear the experiences from
Hibakusha. Thus we must focus on listening tothem now. At the same time, we should prepare
for the future. Now is the time to start to makeall kinds of efforts and many trials so that we canpass on the experiences to the next generation who
can no longer listen directly to Hibakusha. Let’s
think about an example. A mother reads a picturebook about peace to children. Doing it together
with other mothers in their community means
planting seeds for peace in children’s heart.
These small efforts, if accumulated, can lead to alarger move. Through all kinds of ways, we willcontinue to plant seeds for peace together withvarious kinds of people.
Again, I would like to express sincere respect
to all of you, coming here to discuss how toachieve peace around the world and create a world
without nuclear weapons and making a serious
effort to realize them. Let us move forward stepby step, hand in hand with many others without
giving up. This is my welcome and solidarity
message on behalf of citizens in Nagasaki City.
Thank you and let us work together.

Panelists Presentations:(Transcribed from oral presentations)
Joseph Gerson
American Friends Service Committee
U.S.A.
(Please see page 84)

Carol Turner
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
U.K.
Good afternoon. I bring you greetings fromthe Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in Britain.
It’s a pleasure to be here with you, it’s a pleasure
to learn from you, and to listen to your stories.
And I am very sad that my visit comes to an end
tomorrow. I want to tell you a little about how
CND organizes in the U.K., and the politicalcontexts in which we organize.
You may know, 2016 is an important year for
us in Britain.
It’s the year in which ourgovernment will finalize its plans to upgrade
Trident, which is Britain’s nuclear weapons system.
Like all nuclear weapons, Trident is anindiscriminate, mass-destruction weapon. The
system includes an estimated 220 warheads, eachone of which has the explosive power which is 8
times that of the atomic bombs dropped on
Nagasaki and Hiroshima. There can be noconceivable use of such weapon.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was
launched in February 1958, three years after thefounding of the Japan Council against A and H
Bombs. Nowadays our membership numbers in
the region of 35,000 people, national members of
CND, and local active members in groups across
Britain. I’m Chair of London region CND whereapproximately 20% of our membership is. We
have also held a ceremony to commemorate what
happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. And we
hold it in a park in central London where the local
mayor many years ago planted a cherry tree toremember the victims.
CND walks on two feet. We lobby
opinion-formers and decision-makers and weorganize action on the streets of Britain andnational demonstrations to small local activities intowns and cities. What our members do week toweek, month to month in all those towns and cities
up and down Britain is indispensable. It keeps
CND in touch, and it keeps us focused.
CND also works with a number of importantaffiliates and partner organizations such as theStop the War Coalition U.K., which organized the107big demonstration against the Iraq War in 2003.
This year CND held a national Stop Trident
demonstration in February. It was the biggest
protest against nuclear weapons in a generation.
We called a mass lobby of Parliament. In
July, hundreds of people came to London, to theParliament from all across the country to talk totheir individual representatives and say, “Don’t
vote for Trident.”
When the government
announce a debate and the vote in Parliament with
only one week notice, and that day, CND delivereda petition of more than 40,000 signatures to the
U.K. Ministry of Defense. We organized agathering of Parliamentarians opposed to Trident.
And during the debate and the vote, we held aprotest outside on the steps of Parliament.
It was widely anticipated that the government
would win that vote. But there was significant
opposition. More than 1/3 of British MPs refused
to vote to upgrade Trident. Opposition to Trident
is far from exhausted. We are now beginning toplan future activities. Successive opinion polls in
Britain show that public opinion is opposed to
Trident.
Let me tell you a little about the politicalcontext in which we campaign. A new mood is
sweeping in Britain. It represents a mood acrossEurope, North America and also elsewhere. One
manifestation is the rise of anti-establishment
political figures such as Jeremy Corbyn in Britain
and Burnie Sanders in the United States. Jeremy
Corbyn is now a leader of the British Labour Party,
which is the major opposition party in Britain.
As you might know, Jeremy Corbyn is alifelong member of CND U.K. When he becamea leader of the Labour Party last September, he
was CND Vice-Chair, actively engaged in theweek to week running of our campaign. After
his election was announced, in a TV interview, hetold the British public he would never agree topress the nuclear button if he were Prime Minister.
Jeremy was an outsider candidate with no hopeof victory, or so we thought. He achieved thebiggest votes, the greatest support that any
political leader in any party election in Britain. His
campaign was three-fold: Against austerity, against
war and against nuclear weapons. All of these had
a popular resonance with the people of Britain,
especially those of us whose living standards arebeing driven down by a harsh neoliberal economic
regime, and those of us who despair of agrey-suited establishment represented by thepoliticians in Parliament.
I don’t mean to imply that everything is goodin Britain - it’s not. We are also seeing a rise of
xenophobic, racist, reactionary forces. Racism
and opposition to immigration played an importantpart in the outcome of the European Union
referendum. The vote to leave the European Union
caused considerable political disorientation. Ourpoliticians were thrown into confusion.
It
provided an opportunity to Jeremy Corbyn’s
opponents in the Parliamentary Labour Party to
demand a second leadership contest, which isgoing on at the moment. The desire of Labour
MPs to change the leader was strongly resisted byordinary members of the Labour Party and by the
public. I offer you the opportunity to express
your greetings and solidarity to Jeremy in Britain.
If you come forward at the end, you can send agreeting. Let me show you. (Showing “Good
luck, Jeremy Corbyn” poster.) It is a pity thatyou cannot vote in the leadership contest.
I want to finish by declaring our solidarity tothe people of Japan. We support your efforts to
defend Article 9 of the Constitution. And withyou, we call for an end to all nuclear weapons andfor a world which is safe, secure and peaceful.

Selma van Oostwaard
PAX
The Netherlands(Please see page 87)

Lee Jun Kyu
Research Associate
University of North Korean Studies
Republic of Korea
Hello, friends. I understand you are opinion
leaders or main activists in the movement in yourrespective communities. So, I think that the task
for me is to provide you with information about
North Korea’s nuclear program, an issue that yourmovement cannot evade, and about theinternational situation in relation to affairs of the
Korean Peninsula. If time permits, I may discuss
some practical issues regarding our future
movement.
Let me begin by speaking about the current
situation relating to the North Korean nuclear
issue. In its nuclear test in 2013, North Korea isbelieved to have used a uranium bomb. In
January this year, they said they conducted ahydrogen bomb test. All this suggests they aredeveloping smaller and lighter weight nuclear
weapons and even increasing their variety. This
fact is linked to the delivery system of nuclear
weapons. North Korea is repeatedly conducting
rocket (SLV, Satellite Launching Vehicle) tests,
using ICBM technology. Rocket technology is a108

In this context, the Kaesong Industrial
Complex (KIC), which had been the only hope inthe effort to improve the North-South relations in
Korean peninsula, was closed earlier this year. It
meant the disappearance of a kind of buffer zone
as well as the only exchange program between the
North and the South. We need to pay attention towhat the South Korean military is saying thesedays. A South Korean military official, who was
explaining some details of the present joint
U.S.-South Korean military exercise, has revealed
that they include a drill called a “Decapitation
Operation”, implying they are thinking ofassassinating Kim Jong-un. I think this suggeststhat the South Korean military is taking a very
dangerous road.
One more point I want to make is that most ofyou pay too much attention to theappearance—especially, historical or territorialconflicts—to be able to see what’s really going on
between Japan and South Korea. U.S.-led militaryties are being strengthened behind Japanese-South
Korean relations.
For example, in 2014, South Korea, the UnitedStates and Japan signed a military intelligencesharing MOU. The move came after the failureof South Korea under the Lee Myung-bak
administration to conclude an agreement of thiskind with Japan due to public opposition in the
country.
The Park Geun-hye administration
invited the United States to join the MOU. Thistrilateral agreement does not need to be ratified by
the National Assembly. Actually, the MOU, I
think, is linked to the U.S.-Japan-R.O.K. MD
system. The main feature of RIMPAC (Rim of
the Pacific Exercise) in June this year is thesharing of missile information among theparticipating countries, especially U.S., South
Korea, and Japan. Using the rise of China, its
expansionistic behaviors, and North Korea’s
nuclear issue as the pretext, South Korea, U.S. andJapan are strengthening their Cold War-era
military alliance, thus increasing tensions in East
Asia. We are also aware that there is a vicious
circle of an arms race. Let me speak about some practical issues forthe discussion, “what is to be done?” substituting
for a conclusion.
U.S., China, Russia and Japan have historicalresponsibility for the “Korean Questions”. They
should not be by-standers interfering in regional
affairs. I think all countries in the Six-Party Talks
have the responsibility to help solve the Korean
Peninsula issues.
Having said that as the basic premise, thequestion now is what we should do about theNorth Korean nuclear program. I think wedual use technology. Recently, North Korea
conducted “Musudan” medium-range missile tests.
They claimed to have succeeded in their re-entry
technology, which is necessary to bring a
nuclear-armed ballistic missile back into the
Earth's atmosphere.
This has an important
bearing in terms of military technology. Anotherpoint to note is that North Korea is conducting
submarine-launched ballistic missile tests.
I have to admit to wrongly saying at the 2005
World Conference that we would have timeenough to solve the problem of North Korea’s
nuclear program. I said so because I thought North
Korea had many technological problems to solve,
such as the technology for making smaller andlighter weight nuclear bombs as well as thetechnology for the delivery system and missile
re-entry into the atmosphere.
But now, I feel we may not have much time todeal with North Korea’s behavior. In fact, what
North Korea is saying and doing shows theirthinking about nuclear weapons. The serious
part of the problem is how the North looks tonuclear weapons. Most analysts have said that it
retains nuclear weapons as a negotiation card.
And North Korea says nuclear weapons are a
deterrent. But recently it also perceives nuclear
weapons as the symbol of a strong and prosperous
nation.
In other words, it might be very
meaningful that the North is taking nuclear
weapons as its status symbol or something likethat.
The Libya model, Ukraine model, South
Africa model and so on have been cited as models
for the resolution of North Korea’s nuclear
problem. But what’s actually going on shows thatthe country seems to be taking the Pakistan/India
model.
Plainly speaking, the exacerbating North
Korean nuclear issue can be seen against thebackground of the failed policy of the three
countries - the United States, South Korea andJapan - toward North Korea.
The Park Geun-hye administration maintains
the notion that North Korea is doomed to collapse,
just as the previous Lee Myung-bak administration
did. I think the South Korean administration
certainly believes that the North Korean regime
will capitulate to outside pressure, including
sanctions, and eventually fall down. The policy of
the U.S. Obama administration is to be
strategically enduring until North Korea
changes—so called “strategic patience”—but it
actually has nothing in common with strategic
policy. The Obama administration has counted on
South Korean policy, just waiting for the downfallof the North.

109

should take a hard look at the reality and thenbegin to act. Now that North Korea has nuclear
weapons, bilateral or multilateral dialogue isrequired regardless of the form. The important
thing is, how to create the entrance for the North
Korean nuclear issue. The aim of this dialogue,
the exit, should be to achieve the denuclearizationof the Korean Peninsula. It’s difficult, however,to discuss it from the beginning.
So we have to first consider what is to be doneat the start of the dialogue. I think the dialogue
should start with the issue of peace. Note that
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong said
this year that his country would freeze its nuclear
program if the United States and South Korea
cancel their joint military exercise. This is an
example of what can help open dialogue in one
way or the other. I think it is important to set up
the dialogue, even if it is not in the Six-Party Talks.
That would be conducive to providing an
opportunity for negotiations which discuss theissue of peace, and for turning the armistice on the
Korean Peninsula into the system of a peace treaty.
Finally, I would like to make a proposal to
Japanese friends present here.
My Japanese friends sometimes ask me about
what Japan should do in dealing with the issue ofthe Korean Peninsula. I would like to propose
two things. One is that the issue of the North
Korean nuclear program should be dealt with in a
broader context, namely along with therelationship between North Korea and Japan, andbetween the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In
other words, we should look back on the postwar
history of the relations between the Korean
Peninsula and Japan and consider building
relations between the Korean Peninsula and Japan
within the context of East Asia. This is what I
want you to think about.
I also believe that, at a time when tension isincreasing in East Asia, Japan is facing thedomestic task of finding ways to contribute tobuilding an order of peace in East Asia and in theworld. You have the issue of the right tocollective self-defense.
You also have amovement to let the world know more about theJapanese Constitution’s war-renouncing Article 9.
I think it is important to carry out these tasks one
by one and explain what these efforts mean toother countries.

Tsuchida Yayoi
Assistant General Secretary
Japan Council against A and H Bombs
I am glad that we have an opportunity today to
discuss with our overseas friends how to cooperate
and achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Now the world is heading for a world without
nuclear weapons. We are paying attention to themoves of international politics towards thisdirection. At the Open-ended Working Group set
up under the United Nations General Assembly,
discussion on how to prohibit nuclear weapons is
now underway. As Japan’s anti-A and H-bomb
movement, which has pursued a total ban on
nuclear weapons since the First World Conference
against A and H Bombs in 1955, we feel confident
that the world is progressing to a stage where astart to negotiations on legal prohibition of nuclear
weapons is firmly on the international agenda.
Most inspiring is that the May session of theOpen-ended Working Group proposed to hold anegotiation conference in 2017. The Chair has
already announced the draft recommendation,
which includes the following: “A majority ofStates supported the convening by the General
Assembly of a conference in 2017, open to all
States, international organizations and civil society,to negotiate a legally-binding instrument toprohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their
total elimination.” The current session, started
on August 5, will wrap up discussions and issue
recommendations to the UNGA.
In this session, a fierce battle between
supporters and opponents of the recommendation
will continue. Relating to this, I am pleased to
inform you that the World Conference sent a letterto the Chair of the Open-ended Working Group
together with the Declaration of the International
Meeting adopted on August 4, in which werequested our desire that a start of negotiations on
a treaty to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons
be reflected in the recommendation. Our friend
Alyn Ware, member of Unfold Zero, handed theletter and the declaration to the Chair for us. He
also referred to them in his speech and distributed
them to government representatives. We are
happy that we were able to forward to the Working
Group in a timely fashion the general will of theWorld Conference and the desire of civil society
for the start of negotiations on a treaty to ban andeliminate nuclear weapons.
Our attention also goes to the “humanitarian
initiative on nuclear weapons” as a driving force toachieving the prohibition of those weapons.
From the viewpoint that a nuclear weapon
detonation could cause catastrophic humanitarian110consequences to the whole world, this initiative
has raised awareness of the danger and risks ofnuclear weapons and emphasized that they should
be banned and eliminated urgently. Thus, it hascontributed to driving those clinging to nuclear
weapons into a corner.
On the other hand, those possessing nuclear
weapons boycotted the sessions of the Working
Group, and those under their “nuclear umbrella”
opposed negotiations on a prohibition treaty, evensaying that it is premature and dangerous forsecurity. The only way to guarantee that thispositive move bears fruit is to enhance public
support for the prohibition and elimination of
nuclear weapons enough to change the policies of
the governments of the nuclear weapon states andtheir allies. In particular, the role of the Japanese
movement is important.
First, Japan is the only country to havesuffered from nuclear attacks in war. Not only
A-bomb survivors (the Hibakusha) but the people
as a whole maintain the sentiment that the tragedyof Hiroshima and Nagasaki should never be
repeated anywhere on earth. We in the Japanese
movement have to transmit this appeal of the
Hibakusha to the world and take the lead inachieving their earnest desire for the abolition of
nuclear weapons.
Second, the Japanese government is playing anegative role by obstructing advances towards theprohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons,
turning its back on the desire of the Hibakusha andthe people. Underlying this attitude is the factthat Japan is under the US “nuclear umbrella”,
relying on US nuclear weapons to protect Japan’s
security. In addition, in spite of a historic surgeof public opposition, the Abe government forced
the enactment of war laws to make Japan a
war-fighting country with the US. While thepeace forces and the people carried out an
unprecedented united struggle to scrap the war
laws in the House of Counsellors election, theLiberal Democratic - Komei Party ruling coalition
secured two thirds of the seats, which is thenumber required for them to propose the revisionof Article 9 of the Constitution. Immediately
after the election, they tried to start discussion on
the revision.
When US President Obama visited Hiroshima,
Abe did a performance to impress the people as if
he had taken the lead in achieving the abolition of
nuclear weapons. Just after that, as soon as
Obama announced an investigation into thepossibility of adopting a “no first use” policy
regarding nuclear weapons, Abe asked Obama notto adopt such a policy. If Japan took the lead inefforts towards the prohibition and elimination of

nuclear weapons, it could have a tremendous
impact throughout the world.
The current
position of Japan is so shameful. If war breaks
out, the danger of nuclear weapons being used
increases. We have to change the policies of theJapanese government by breaking away from the
US “nuclear umbrella” and defending Article 9 of
the Constitution. This is the way for us tocontribute to realizing a world without nuclear
weapons.
The key is to create an over-whelming
majority of support for the abolition of nuclear
weapons in Japan and the rest of the world.
Recently the Japanese people started to standagainst nuclear power plants and the war laws, andthey started to cooperate and work together onagreed tasks, irrespective of differences of opinion.
Their actions led to historic changes in Japan. For
example, in order to scrap the war laws, thecitizens’ alliance was formed. Thanks to its
persistent efforts, opposition parties agreed tocooperate in the Upper House election in July andtheir united candidates won in 11 single-seatconstituencies across the country.
We have to develop the same majority struggle
for the abolition of nuclear weapons in Japan.
For this purpose, we already have a useful tool in
our hands, which is the Hibakusha Appeal
International Signature Campaign, launched in
April this year. It expresses the Hibakusha’s
earnest desire to abolish nuclear weapons in their
lifetime, and calls for the start of negotiations on atreaty to ban and eliminate nuclear weapons. The
campaign has already started nationwide. Its
experiences have proved the effectiveness of the
Appeal. It is said that the Appeal opens closed
doors. Mayors who had not signed petitions forthe abolition of nuclear weapons have started tosign it. So far 21 organizations have joined the
Signature Campaign Promotion Committee. In
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Hibakushaorganizations agreed to work on the campaign
together.
Support for the Hibakusha Appeal isincreasing abroad, too. For example, Mr. Sergio
Duarte, former UN High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs, has already signed; theboard members of the International Peace Bureau
have also signed. The signature campaign was
launched in Vietnam, France, the USA, India andother countries.
This is the Japanese Hibakusha’s initiative.
Let us develop the campaign with support of all
the Japanese people and build up an overwhelming
majority of support for the abolition of nuclear
weapons in Japan and the rest of the world.

111

2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs:

Nagasaki Day Rally(August 9)

We Hibakusha have always appealed, “Don’t
start nuclear war, abolish nuclear weapons,” “No
more Hibakushas,” and “Don’t repeat Hiroshima
or Nagasaki anywhere in the world!”
In April this year, Nihon Hidankyo launched
the “International Signature Campaign in Supportof the Appeal of the Hibakusha for the Eliminationof Nuclear Weapons.” With all our might,
Hibakusha are determined to dedicate ourselves tomaking this signature campaign a global-scale
movement, equivalent to the Stockholm Appeal
signature campaign.
Let us mobilize all people around the world tojoin hands and achieve an international treaty tototally ban and abolish nuclear weapons. To savea blue planet for our future generations, we must
make sure even a single nuclear weapon should not
remain on earth. Friends, let us spread our voices
for nuclear weapons abolition across the world!

Greetings on Behalf of the Hibakusha:
Taniguchi Sumiteru
Co-Chairperson, Japan Confederation of
A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations
I suffered from the atomic bombing in
Nagasaki at age 16, while delivering mails bybicycle as a postman. My entire back was
exposed to the bomb heat rays at about 1.8
kilometers from the hypocenter. With heavy
burns all over on my back I could not move aninch, and kept lying on my stomach on the hospital
bed for one year and 9 months. During these days,
I could not bear intense pain and agony, and kept
crying, “Kill me!” After hovering between deathand life, somehow I was made to survive.
Nuclear weapons are weapons of devil, which
will not allow humans to live or die as humans.
The use of nuclear weapons is the worst crime
against humanity.

112

injured dead bodies were found around our house.
Though I got close to the house after jumping overthose dead bodies, I had to give up going into thehouse because it was still smoldering and too hot
to enter.
Next day I found my mother’s andgrandmother’s ashes at the ruins of our house. I
felt sad when I buried their ashes in the graveyard,
and I collapsed on the ground for hours on the way
home.
The day after, I heard that my seven-year-old
brother was in a raid shelter of Yamazato
Elementary School, so I went to see him with myaunt. He looked frightened, and as soon as henoticed us he jumped and hugged us tightly. My
brother seemed so scared that he did not say aword. On the 14th, my elder sister came backwith bandages around her head. She was caught
by the bomb at the Ohashi factory located 400
meters from the ground zero. “Where’s Mother?
Where’s Grandma?” she asked, and I answered,“They died.” She shed tears. Then we, fourbrothers and sisters, said to each other that wewere lucky to survive.
On the evening of the 15th, purple spots
appeared on my elder sister’s body, and she started
suffering from diarrhea. She died on the 19th.
The spots were also found in my younger brother,and he died on the 21st.
My girl cousin
developed the spots and died on the 26th after
vomiting a lot of blood. My aunt, who had notbeen injured or burned, began to lose her hair,developed the spots and diarrhea, and died on
September 19th.
After that, trying to get out of the life in the
shelter, we collected lumber day after day and built
a house by ourselves at the ruins where our houseused to be. I could not go to school even though I
wanted to go. There was no clothes to wear.
Snow fell and piled up on our thin and hard
bedding mattresses in winter. We had a hard time
securing food. We entered into a mountain togather weeds to eat. We even ate frogs andsnakes.
Although I was with my elder brother, I missed
my elder sister so badly who would have talked tome gently. I was so lonely at the age of eleven.
In October the next year, my uncle died. Fiveyears later, my elder brother died. The ashes of
my missing elder brother and younger sister havenot been found. We used to be a big family ofeight, but then I became all by myself.
I got married at the age of 34. Four sons wereborn to us, and I was able to have my own family.
My family is a treasure to me. Now I need to getdialysis three times a week, and I have been
constantly in and out of hospital. But I continue

Special Program: 71 Years since
Nagasaki - Aspirations of the
Hibakusha:
Fukahori Satoru
Hibakusha of Nagasaki
Thank you very much for coming to the World
Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs Nagasaki on the 71st anniversary of the atomic
bombing from all over Japan and around the world.
I am grateful to have this opportunity to tell
you what happened here 71 years ago today.
In those days, my house was located in Ueno
Town, 600 meters from the hypocenter. It wasclose to the Urakami Cathedral, and my family was
Catholic for generations. My father had alreadydied, and I had 7 other family members at thattime: my mother, grandmother, elder sister, twoelder brothers, and younger brother and sister.
I was 11 years old and a sixth grader inYamazato Elementary School. Around that time,
I had been sent to my aunt’s house in Motohara
Town located 1.3 km from the ground-zerobecause I hated to go into an air-raid shelter when
air-raid alarms went off or the U.S. bombers came.
On August 9, I was sitting on the exterior
wooden veranda with my uncle and my immediate
elder brother who was visiting the aunt’s family.
Suddenly a big flash passed in front of our eyes.
As soon as I screamed in its terrible heat, I wasblown off and trapped under the house.
Awaken by my uncle’s call, I found my waist
caught between a heavy beam and a wooden
entrance step in the house. I couldn’t crawl out
there by myself until my uncle came and helped.
We rescued my brother from under the walls, andthen rescued three of my next-door family. I was
bleeding from my head so badly that the blood
covered my whole body. All the houses aroundthere were completely crushed.
A woman in our neighborhood was caught by
the bomb when she was in the field. Her wholeface skin was stripped off and hanging down likeseaweed. Only her armpits and crotch were left
unburnt with only a string of pants as clothing.
She died that night after screaming and howling in
pain. Her voice at that time still remains in myears.
My aunt, who was exposed to the bombing at
the time of weeding in the rice field, came home in
the afternoon. Her daughters also came home inthe evening.
On the 11th, I was allowed to go near myhouse. I couldn’t take the path we were always
taking. Dead bodies were lying here and there in
the fields on the way. Countless charred and113

to tell my experience to many people because if we
Hibakusha fail to do so, the tragedies could be
repeated.
Nuclear weapons would bring everything toruins. Another nuclear war could destroy theearth. Nagasaki should be the last A-bombed city.
I continue to tell the actual damage of the
A-bombing as long as I live.

Abacca Anjain Maddison
Former Senator/ Iju in Ean Club, Peopleof Rongelap
Marshall Islands(Please see page 95)

For a World without Nuclear Weapons- Speeches by Overseas Delegates:
Oleg Bodrov
Green World, Russia
RUSSIAN NUCLEAR VICTIMS:YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
Dear participants of the conference! Together
with you I bow my head and mourn the hundredsof thousands of lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
that instantly disappeared from our planet.
Unfortunately the victims of atomic bombs
were not only in Japan!
I come from a country, which while competingwith the US created its own nuclear weapons.
Fortunately those weapons were not exploded on
the territory of other countries. But the paradox isthat the creation and testing of nuclear weapons in
the Soviet Union gave rise to a number of victims,
which is comparable to the number of victims of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki!
Liquid radioactive waste from the productionof first weapons-grade plutonium dumped into the
Techa River in Ural Region. People living near thebank of the river were the first victims of the notyet completed Soviet atomic bomb!
There were accidents. The largest happened in
1957. The tanks for storage of liquid high-level
waste exploded. 20 million Curies of radioactivity
were thrown into the atmosphere. More than 20
thousand square kilometers were contaminated.
Soldiers and even schoolchildren participated in
the cleanup of pollution. Many received lethal
doses of radiation.
After the accident some 250 settlements wererelocated. The total number of officially registeredaffected civilians is more than half millions people.

114

After the invention of the bomb, there werenumerous tests. One of them took place on
September 1954 with the participation of 45,000
soldiers and 10,000 local residents. A plane
dropped a nuclear bomb with the capacity of 40
kilotons over Russian territory. Many became
victims of these tests.
Over the past 70 years, 20 nuclear
single-industry towns were built and continue tofunction today. Half of them are mainly related tonuclear weapons, the other half with operating
nuclear power plants. One and a half million
people currently live in these nuclear towns. This
is 1% of the Russian population.
Residents of this “Rosatom Country” are living
under special laws. The liquid radioactive waste isallowed to be discharged into the nature.
For example, the Mayak nuclear facility in
Ural Region annually discharges into the Techa
River 600,000 cubic meters of liquid radioactive
waste. This is the result of the processing of spent
nuclear fuel from nuclear submarines and NPPs.
Russian citizens today continue to live on thebanks of the radioactive Techa River, just as it was
70 years ago. They are in fact living in aradioactive waste site. These are the modern
victims of the Rosatom. It is a violation of theRussian Constitution, which guarantees the right toa safe environment.
Those who try to protect the civil rights ofthese people are under pressure from theauthorities. Nadezhda Kutepova, head of the NGO"Planet of Hopes" was forced to flee fromprosecution in Russia. She and her children havereceived political asylum in France in this year.
About 100 anti-nuclear, environmental andhuman rights Russian NGOs have been assigned
the status of "foreign agents". This means, in theunderstanding of the authorities that such an NGO
is working against Russia.
"Rosatom Country" is a territory without
freedom. It is non-transparent, undemocratic andcorrupt.
The business of Rosatom is nuclear electricity
export and building of the nuclear power plants inother countries. This business is based on the
nuclear infrastructure of the period of the Cold
War.
Emissions and discharges of radioactivity into
the environment are planned like a part of thisbusiness in the Russian closed nuclear towns. It isa threat of the radioactive contamination of thelargest Eurasian rivers - the Ob and the Yenisei.
These rivers move radionuclides toward the Arctic
Ocean. This means that radioactive seafood may
be found on the table of future generations of thepeople of Europe and other continents.

coexistence among peoples and States. Besides, it
is obvious that today these threats have become
useless to solve the conflicts in the world.
The present and future generations are entitledto a much better world. They are entitled to apeaceful world based on unity, based on respect,
cooperation, solidarity and compassion. It's time tofight the logic of fear and replace it by that ofresponsibility to foster a climate of trust andsincere dialogue.
Spending on nuclear weapons squanders thewealth of nations. Making these expenses apriority is a mistake and a waste of resources thatwould be much better invested in the fields ofhuman development, education, health and thefight against extreme poverty. When theseresources are wasted, it is the poor and the weak
who are paying the highest price.
Our own future security depends on our ability
to ensure the peaceful security of others. Indeed if
peace, security and stability are not establishedglobally, they will benefit to none. Individually andcollectively, we are responsible for our children's
present and future welfare.
Courage, tolerance, hope in the future, peace,solidarity ... so many words, and values, that
resonate more than ever in our minds and in ourhearts. Even though we are going through adifficult period, we must still move forward, andstill have faith in life and in the future. Thankyou.

Dear participants of the conference, there are
hundreds of thousands of victims of nuclear
technologies in Japan and Russia. We do not need
new victims!
We must be together for our peaceful future
without nuclear weapons and without nuclear
power plants! Arigato!

Roland Gardien
French Peace Movement
FranceFirst, let me thank - once again - our friends
Gensuikyo for their invitation to this international
meeting. This is my first time here in Japan, andmy emotion is great. All these meetings with eachof you strengthen me in my desire to act toeliminate nuclear weapons and build a world freeof the nuclear threat. I am happy to greet all the
representatives of international organizations andcivil society participating in this conference.
Nuclear weapons are a global problem which
affects all nations and has an impact on future
generations, as well as on the planet which is ourcommon home. Therefore, we need global ethics if
we want to reduce the nuclear threat and to workfor nuclear disarmament.
We consider the elimination of nuclear
weapons is in the common interest of mankind as awhole, since the humanitarian consequences ofnuclear strikes are predictable and devastating. The
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which took
place here 71 years ago still have visible effects.
And yet, the nuclear risk has not disappeared andthe fact that some countries, and mine for one, I
am sorry to say, still rely on nuclear deterrence, isa major obstacle to the establishment of lasting
peace in the world. Military codes andinternational law, as well as elementary moral
codes, have long condemned those who inflict
unnecessary suffering. If such suffering is
prohibited during conventional wars, they shouldespecially be prohibited in the case of a nuclear
conflict in which civilians are an indiscriminate
target.
A few persons here with us have been thevictims of these weapons; they are here to warn us
not to repeat the same irreparable mistakes, which
decimated the population. I extend my warm
greetings to the Hibakushas. We encourage themall, to voice their suffering and bring forth their
testimonies, so that nobody ever forgets what
happened here, reminding the world that nuclear
weapons can destroy us and our civilization.
Nuclear deterrence and mutually assured
destruction threat cannot be the basis for peaceful

Bui Lien Huong
Vietnam Peace Committee
VietnamIt’s my honor to attend the World Conference
against A and H Bombs for the 2nd time. Also I amvery happy to see old friends again and meet many
new ones. I would like to convey to all of you thewarmest greetings and best wishes from theVietnam Peace Committee and the millions ofVietnamese working for peace and friendship.
I would like in particular to extend ourcongratulations to the Japan Council against A and
H Bombs (GENSUIKYO) on its 61st foundation
anniversary, and our profound thanks to all
Japanese friends for their enormous efforts inorganizing this Conference, and for the heartfelt
hospitality provided to overseas participants,
including us Vietnamese.
Although 71 years have passed since theatomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
hundreds of thousands of Japanese are still
suffering from never-ending pains. The situation issimilar in Vietnam, where, millions of victims of115

Agent Orange, including those of the 2nd, 3rd andeven 4th generations, are still living in agony. So
we understand your feelings and sympathy with all
losses and sufferings of the Hibakushas and all war
victims.
We are aware that great efforts have been madeby governments, people’s organizations and peace
movements in different countries for a world freefrom nuclear and other weapons of mass
destructions. But, despite such efforts, lethal
weapons are still being developed, tested,
produced, used and proliferated by many
governments. In addition, increasing militaryspending, expanding military bases, terrorism, andgrowing tensions resulting from sovereignty
disputes over sea and land between nations are
threatening peace, security and stability in theregion and heavily impacting people’s life.
In such a context, I highly appreciate theOrganizing Committee’s efforts to hold annually
the World Conference against A and H Bombs
since 1955. I am strongly confident that theConference will continue to be a platform forpeace organizations and activists around the world
to unite and struggle for a peaceful world without
nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction,
where all conflicts and disputes are settled
peacefully in accordance with international law.
The Vietnam Peace Committee has joined
hands with peace workers throughout the globe in
the struggle for a peaceful world. In response to
the International Signature Campaign for the
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we havecollected millions of signatures from people’sorganizations across the country in several recent
years and this year we participated in the signature
campaign in support of the Appeal of the
Hibakusha. So far we got over 80 thousand
signatures in two months.
Once more, I would like to thank you forgiving me the chance to speak at one of the world’s
largest peace conferences, a significant experience
for a member of the younger generation.
May I wish for a successful conference, for abeautiful world free from nuclear weapons, and forthe good health and happiness of all of you here.
No more Hiroshima! No more Nagasaki! No
more Agent Orange/dioxin!
Justice for Hibakushas! Justice for Vietnamese
Agent Orange/dioxin victims!

Corazon Fabros
Nuclear-Free Philippines Coalition
The Philippines
To friends from all over Japan from the northisland of Hokkaido down to the south island ofKagoshima and to our courageous brothers andsisters from Okinawa, and to all our friends andcomrades from different parts of the world, Peaceand Solidarity Greetings from the Philippines!
More than twenty-five years ago, we had theopportunity to ask for your solidarity with ourstruggles in the Philippines to close some of thebiggest U.S. military outposts in Asia. And as thebases were closed in 1992, you celebrated with us.
Today, we live in dangerous and challenging
times. Currently, more than half of the U.S. militarybases overseas are in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area that
includes forces for military intervention, occupationand domination.
Japan’s re-interpretation of
Article 9 in its Constitution allows Japan tore-militarize, engage in active overseas military
exercises and sell military hardware to othercountries. The Philippines, with an Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the
U.S., will once again provide the staging ground,facilities and bases for U.S. forward deployment,
wargames and military exercise – an arrangement
perceived to be a solution to hedge off China’s
continuing build up in the South China Sea/ West
Philippine Sea. It is our hope our new government
will genuinely take a conciliatory approach, not totaunt the Chinese, not to flaunt victory on the caseand remain humble in the face of victory as thiswill help in terms of renewing our ties with China.
It will be a difficult and balancing act in the face ofstrong U.S. military presence in the Philippines.
We again ask for your solidarity for the Philippines
No-Bases campaign as we remain in solidarity
with your struggles here. Our colleague, AG Saño
will go to Okinawa and visit Takae to express oursolidarity with your courageous struggles. We
appeal for your continuing support for Takae, as
they go thru some of the most difficult times.
I would like to express my personal gratitude
to the World Conference for making myparticipation here possible all these years – aprivilege that has energized me, strengthened me,
kept me inspired to carry on each passing day forthe memories of the past years of loving friendshipwith some of the courageous Hibakushas I haveever known thru the World Conference - Senji
Yamaguchi, Chieko Watanabe and many others
who has long left us physically but their memories
continue to inspire me and will always occupy a
special place in my heart. We are what we aretoday because we would like to honor their116

memories thru our commitment to peace, justiceand nuclear abolition.
Let me end with a special note from mydaughter, Malaya who says hello and sends herwarm hugs to everyone and to inviteorganizations/youth marchers for the 2017 Peace
March International Youth Relay. Though shecannot attend this year’s World Conference, hercommitment to the peace movement and her
dedication to the Peace March remains. Let Peace
prevail over anything that goes against it.
Abolish nuclear weapons! No to U.S. Bases!
No to War! Justice for the Hibakusha!
Long Live international solidarity!

the treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons anddisseminate the Appeal from the only
Atom-bombed nation to all over the world. I am
confident that to strengthen the voice in andoutside Japan will change the government position
and the world fundamentally.
Hibakusha have courageously stood up since
their tragic experience 71 years ago. This signature
campaign is the first one in Japan proposed by
Hibakusha, whose average age is over 80 years old.
They stand on the streets to collect signatures
across Japan in the very hot summer. This shows
how serious they are about this campaign.
Responding to their strong passion, theunprecedented “solidarity of determination” hasstarted among grassroots movements.
The coalition of opposition parties in the Upper
House election and the Tokyo gubernatorial
election has marked a turning point in the Japanesepolitical history. The solidarity for the Nuclear
Weapons Convention can develop even further
beyond differences in ideology of conservative or
progressive, religions, generations and national
borders.
This year may mark an important turning point
for the anti-nuclear weapons and peace movementin Japan. As one of the third generation Hibakushafrom Nagasaki and one of former members ofpeace ambassadors of 10,000 high school students
petition campaign, and through activities I havetaken part in during my college days that have led
me to SEALDs (Student Emergency Action for
Liberal Democracy), I am confident that no otheryear than this year has brought us such a hopefulsituation.
Let us bring our voice for abolition of nuclear
weapons and “Nuclear Weapons Convention” tothe world.

Paul Kawika Martin
Peace Action, U.S.A.
(Please see page 77)

Grass-roots Movement of Japan andPeace Marchers:
Hayashida MitsuhiroCampaign Leader, Hibakusha Appeal
Signature Campaign/ Graduate student of
Meiji-Gakuin University“It is our strong desire to achieve a nuclear
weapon-free world in our lifetime, so thatsucceeding generations will not experience hell on
earth ever again.” Supporting an appeal of
Hibakusha all over the world, whose average age is
now over 80, a liaison committee to promote theInternational Signature Campaign by Hibakusha
was formed.
Behind the Appeal of the Hibakusha, there has
been active discussion and growing awareness on
the inhuman nature of nuclear weapons since the2010
NPT
Review
Conference,
which
consequently has built up a growing demand tonegotiate a treaty to ban nuclear weapons ininternational community.
Many Japanese people must recognize nuclear
weapons as inhumane weapons or their“inhuman-aspects”. However, our Japanese
government, together with the US, rather has
become hindrance to the start of negotiations onsuch a treaty.
The position of our government is a matter ofserious concern, but we can make our voice heard
around the world as citizens of Japan, the only
country that experienced the nuclear attacks. As
civil society peace movement that rejects thegovernment position, we have to positively support

Abe Hiromi
Lawyer/ Joint Candidate of Opposition
Parties in the House of Councilors
Election 2016
I am Abe Hiromi, a lawyer who ran in the 24th
House of Councilors election, which was held on
July 10, as a joint candidate of citizens andopposition parties in the Kumamoto constituency.
Unfortunately, I was not elected, but theexperience of running the election campaign as thefirst national candidate jointly backed by citizens
and opposition parties has given great influences tonot only myself but also many other people.
It was the first time that a broad range ofcitizens joined together regardless of their politicalaffiliation.
117

The opposition parties responded to thecitizens' call and promoted their joint struggles.
The deepening of solidarity among the politicalparties which supported me in the election
indicates that it is possible to further develop theirsolidarity in any future activities. Collaborations
among different generations created a new style ofelection campaign, giving us a great hope for the
future.
In Kumamoto, young people, who had beenconnected with each other in activities against the
war legislation, took part in my election campaign.
They livened up our street speeches by chanting.
Moreover, many citizens carried out election
activities tenaciously, asking friends andacquaintances for their support or calling strangers
to ask the same. I believe that their involvementin the election campaign on their own initiative
will make themselves confident in developing the
movement to protect peace in the future.
As a lawyer, I have been engaged in activities
to protect the Constitution and to tell the society
about the value of the Constitution. I am now
determined to send the information even more
widely regarding what the Constitution is about
and how it is threatened to be changed. From
now on, it is necessary not only to maintain anddeepen the activities but also to expand them, evenlittle by little.
During the election campaign, my goal was toattract voters’ support. The people understood
this and took part in the election campaign to thisend, building up their strength steadily. I believe
the activities to actively talk with others, try tounderstand their thoughts, and gain a favorable
response from them will be used effectively in our
future movements to block the revision of theConstitution and to abolish nuclear weapons.

118

The effects of propaganda through mass media
might be tremendous. But if each one of us
continue to persistently exercise the grassroots
power to develop our movement, it will bringabout a significant outcome.
If we do not forget to continue to do so, wemust be able to create a peaceful society without
nuclear weapons.
Let us expand the circle of empathy from one
person to another in order to pass a more peacefuland safe society on to the next generations.

Magiting Fabros
Volunteer Information Technology
Trainer, Nuclear-Free Philippines
Coalition/ International Youth Relay
Marcher of the 2016 National Peace MarchKonnichiwa. I want to congratulate Gensuikyo,
partner groups, Hibakusha, students, children, andvolunteers for the very successful peace march. We
want to solute through marchers for yourleadership, and I want to thank the international
young marchers here from the Philippines, Korea,
Guam, and Japan for sharing your experience like
photos and videos through social media like
Facebook and Twitter. We are also looking forward
to having more young peace marchers from Asia,
America, Europe, or Africa next year. Thank youvery much.

Valtimore Fenis
Deputy Secretary General, Mindanao
People’s Peace Movement, the Philippines/
International Youth Relay Marcher of the2016 National Peace March
Avante! Gambaro!!

Appendices:
Overseas Delegates and Guests in the2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs㻌

Build Peace Movement㻌Representatives of National
Governments/ Inter-Governmental
Organizations

㻌

Ms. Irene De Vera, Head of International
Relations, Pangasinan State University

Mr. Kim Won-soo, High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs, United Nations

Ms. Mary Therese Norbe, Communication andMedia Officer, Mindanao People’s Peace
Movement (MPPM)

Mr. Sergio Duarte, Former High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs, United Nations㸭Ambassador (Brazil)

Mr. Valtimore Borjel Fenis, Deputy Secretary
General, MPPM

Mr. Damian Delgado, Third Secretary, Embassy of
Republic of Cuba in Japan

Republic of Korea
Mr. Koo Jung Sung, Vice President, Korean
Atomic Bomb Casualty Association

Mr. Miguel Ruiz-Cabañas Izquierdo, ViceMinister for Multilateral Affairs and Human
Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United
Mexican States

Mr. Cha Moo Nam, Ditto
Mr. Gong Kee Yun, Ditto

Mr. Carlos Almada, Ambassador to Japan, United
Mexican States

Ms. Park Jung Eun, Deputy Secretary General,
People’s Solidarity for Participatory
Democracy (PSPD)

Mr. Seiko Luis Ishikawa Kobayashi, Ambassador
to Japan, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Mr. Lee Jun Kyu, Research Associate, Universityof North Korean Studies
Mr. Kim Jung Geun, Korea Civic Network for
Justice in Sport

Peace Movement Representatives &Individuals

Mr. Kim Yongjin, Co-Chair, Dentists for Healthy
Society

Asia-Pacific RegionMarshall Islands
Ms. Abacca Anjain Maddison, Former Senator/ Iju
in Ean Club, People of Rongelap

Mr. Jun Jinhan, Policy Director, Korean Federationof Medical Groups for Health Rights
Ms. Lee Bora, General Secretary, Associations ofPhysicians for Humanism

Guam
Mr. Raymond Vincent Lujan, Guahan Coalition for
Peace and Justice

Mr. You Ki Hoon, Student, Seoul National
University

The Philippines
Ms. Corazon Valdez Fabros, Secretary General,
Nuclear-Free Philippines Coalition

Mr. Kim Joon Hyung, Student, Catholic
Kwandong University

Mr. Magiting Fabros, Volunteer Information
Technology Trainer, Ditto

Mr. Kim Seong Rok, Student, Keimyung
University

Mr. Guerrero M. Saño (AG Saño), Teach Peace,

Mr. Yoo Hyoung Seob, Student, Catholic119Ms. Puja Raut Adhikari, National Council
Member, Ditto

University of Korea
Mr. Bae Ki Tae, Student, Seoul National
University

Mr. Shankar Prasad Shangroula, National Council
Member, Ditto

Mr. Ko Eun San, Student, Yonsei University
Mr. Bishnu Kumar Shrestha, National Council
Member, Ditto

Ms. Lee Seo Young, Student, Dankook University

Mr. Suman Kumar Shrestha, Secretariat member,
Ditto

Ms. Lee Ji Yae, Student, Yonsei University
Ms. Jung Ji Hyun, Student, Chung-Ang University

Mr. Jaya Ram Thapa, National Council Member,
Ditto

Ms. Kim Gyung Ah, Student, Ewha Women’s
University

India
Ms. Arundhoti Roy Choudhury, Freelance peace
worker

Ms. Lee Miok, Associations of Physicians for
Humanism

Ms. Anasua Roy Choudhury, University professor

Ms. Kim Hyun Sook, Associations of Physiciansfor Humanism

Mr. Arup Kumar Das, Freelance peace worker
Ms. Kim Mi Jung, Associations of Physicians for
Humanism

EuropeMs. Choi Young Ah, Associations of Physicians for
Humanism

RussiaMr. Oleg Bodrov, Chairperson, Green World

Ms. An Eun Sun, Journalist for Dentists for
Healthy Society

Lithuania
Mr. Gediminas Rimdeika, Green Policy Institute/
Lithuanian Green Party

VietnamMs. Bui Lien Huong, Executive Secretary,
Vietnam Peace Committee

Ms. Angele Rimdeikiene, Member, Ditto

Ms. Nguyen Diem Huong, Secretary General,
Hanoi Peace Committee

Mr. Danas Rimdeika, Chernobyl Fund “Our Coast”
Ms. Gintare Lebzentyte, Ditto

Nepal
Mr. Shreedhar Gautam, CC Member, Afro-Asian
Peoples’ Solidarity Organization of Nepal

NorwayMr. Frode Ersfoord, Managing Director, No to
Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Dhyan Bahadur Subba, Member, Ditto

Mr. Vidar Birkeland, Head of Oslo, Ditto

Mr. Purna Bahadur Maharjan, Member, Ditto

Ms. Oda Sofie Helen Larsen, Member, Ditto

Mr. Rabindra Adhikari, Coordinator/ Chief, Nepal
Peace & Solidarity Council

Mr. Syver G. M. Zachariassen, Member, Ditto

The Netherland
Ms. Selma van Oostwaard, Program officer,
Humanitarian Disarmament Team, PAX

Mr. Sudarshan Basnet, National Council Member,
Ditto
Mr. Ram Janak Katwal, National Council Member,
Ditto

FranceMr. Roland Gardien, President, French Peace
Committee㸭French Peace Movement

Mr. Narayan Pyakurel, National Council Member,
Ditto

120

Ms. Suzanne Catelin, Member, Ditto

North & South America

United Kingdom
Ms. Carol Turner, National Council Member,Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) /Chair, London Region CND

U.S.A.
Mr. Joseph Gerson, Disarmament Coordinator,
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Mr. Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director, Policy
and Political Affairs, Peace Action

Middle East & Africa

Ms. Haleigh Copley-Cunningham, President, Tufts
Peace Action / Intern, Massachusetts Peace
ActionAlgeria
Ms. Saleha Guerroudj, Teacher, Oleander Initiativeof the University of the Middle East Project

Mr. Ray Matsumiya, Executive Director, Oleander
Initiative of the University of the Middle East
Project

Egypt
Ms. Nevine Farid, Teacher, Oleander Initiative of
the University of the Middle East Project

Ms. Elizabeth Gruenfeld, Member, Ditto

JordanMs. Lubna Al Kababji, Teacher, Oleander Initiativeof the University of the Middle East Project

Mr. Mike Otterman, Member, Ditto

Lebanon
Ms. Omaima Khoury, Teacher, Oleander Initiativeof the University of the Middle East Project

Mr. Era Yuzaburo, Program coordinator, Ditto

Palestine
Ms. Samar Musallam, Teacher, Oleander Initiativeof the University of the Middle East Project

Ms. Denise Provost, Massachusetts State
Representative/ University of the Middle East
Project

MoroccoMr. Brahim El Mourabit, Teacher, Oleander
Initiative of the University of the Middle East
Project

Mr. Paul Styslinger, Student Researcher, Yale
University

Ms. Michelle Otterman, Member, Ditto

Ms. Matsui Rie, Member, Ditto

International & Regional Organizations

Ms. Samia Wardane, Teacher, Ditto

Mr. Jordi Calvo Rufanges, Board member,International Peace Bureau/ Centre Delàs for
Peace Studies, Spain

Saudi Arabia
Mr. Ahmed Abdelmoeti, Teacher, Oleander
Initiative of the University of the Middle East
Project

Ms. Shibata Masako, Executive Committee
member, Women’s International Democratic㻌
Federation (WIDF)/ President, Japan Federationof Women’s Organizations㻌

United Arab Emirates
Mr. Walid Yasin, Teacher, Oleander Initiative of
the University of the Middle East Project

Ms. Mercedes Llarinas Angeles, Executive
Director, Peace Women Partners

Tunisia
Ms. Leila Ben Said Ben Yahmed, Teacher,
Oleander Initiative of the University of the
Middle East Project

Ms. Patricia Llarinas Angeles, Graphic Designer,
Ditto

121

Massages of Solidarity from Overseas to the2016 World Conference against A and H Bombs
the Japanese cities. This fact is very important toremember and contributes to the history of all
humanity creating a happy and peaceful future.
Admiring your aspirations and the results whenfighting the usage of nuclear and hydrogen weapons
against the humankind, I wish you all the success insuch a necessary activity.

International Institutions/National
Governments:(Please see page 12 for the texts)
BrazilMr. Michel Temer, Vice-President, acting as the
President

Tomas Magnusson, Local activist in
Gothenborg, Sweden/ Former President of theInternational Peace Bureau
To all friends in Japan,
Please accept this greeting from Sweden on theannual memory days of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As we arrange the traditional memorial
ceremony in Gothenburg on the 6th of August, withspeeches and music, our thoughts goes to thevictims of the a-bombing in Japan, to the relatives,
and to all peace loving people in Japan.
During the recent year, our engagement for theabolition of nuclear weapons was strengthened by
the visit from Japan in October, by a delegationfrom Hidankyo and Gensuikyo: Reiko Yamada
from Hiroshima, Osamu Sato from Fukushima,
together with Rieko Asato (we welcomed her on her
second visit in Gothenburg) and Yutaka Akiyama.
Once again – many thanks for a wonderful programin Gothenburg.
The slogan of our memorial ceremony is “Let us
never forget” – and not only do we remember, but
we continue our common effort to rid the worldfrom Nuclear weapons.
On behalf of the Peace movement in Gothenburg

Ireland
Mr. Michael D. Higgins, President
Laos
Mr. Bounnhang Vorachith, President
MexicoMr. Enrique Peña Nieto, President
Viet Nam
Mr. Tran Dai Quang, PresidentInternational Committee of the Red Cross
Mr. Peter Maurer, President
Ambassador Jorge Lomonaco
Permanent Representative/ Permanent Missionof Mexico in Geneva
I have the honor to refer to your letter, inviting
me to speak at the 2016 World Conference against
Atomic & Hydrogen Bombs, which will take placein Hiroshima and Nagasaki, from the 2 to 9 August
2016.
In this regards, I regret to inform you that, due
to previously acquired commitments, I will not beable to attend such an important event.
Nevertheless, allow me to take this opportunity
to express my sincere gratitude to you and theOrganizing Committee for your kind invitation andto wish the event every success.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew theassurances of my highest consideration.

Andrew, Jacqui and the Coordinating
Committee, Greater Manchester & District
CND, U.K.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Dear all, around this time every year, we makespace to remember the victims of the atomic
bombing of Japan during WWII.
The below event will be held in Manchester on
Saturday. There will also be an event in Heaton
Park on Sunday.
This event is co-organised by Manchester City
Council, University of Manchester and local
peace groups. Please share this information far
and wide.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombings 71st
Anniversary Peace Commemoration Ceremony(6th August 2016)

Anti-nuclear and Peace Movements:
Anatolijus Zarovskis, a liquidator of theChernobyl Nuclear Power Station/ The
President of the Chernobyl Fund, Lithuania
Dear participants of the conference,
I am glad to congratulate you to have come here
to commemorate the anniversary of the bombarding
122

Location:
Old Quadrangle and Manchester
Museum, Oxford Road, University of Manchester
Order of Service
Assemble in the Old Quadrangle
x 10.00am Official welcome from a senior
representative of the University ofManchester.
x 10.02am Why are we here today?
Reading on what happened on August
6th 1945.
x 10.07am The Peace Declaration 2016.
x 10.12am Laying of memorial wreath by
the Lord Mayor of Manchester and two
minutes silence for all innocent civilian
victims of war and terrorism.
x 10.15am Readings of Hiroshima poetryfrom the ‘hibakusha’ (A-bomb survivors).
x 10.30am All read the UN Peace
Affirmation.
x 10.35am Transfer into Manchester
Museum to see the ‘Peace’ exhibit in theMuseum, with an opportunity to foldpaper cranes and write messages of peace
which will be sent to Hiroshima andNagasaki.
The Museum will encourage children, families andall who visit on the 6th August to fold paper cranes,
the symbol of peace from Hiroshima andNagasaki.

people by my country.
It is with profoundgratitude that I bow to the Japanese people whopatiently, persistently try to teach us about the realand enduring harm Atomic weapons cause and why
they must never be used anywhere for any reason
again.
You have my everlasting admiration,

Prof. György Köteles, President, Hungarian
Peace Association, Hungary
Dear World Conference Organizers,
I am writing to you as President of the
Hungarian Peace Association, a civil society
organisation based in Budapest, Hungary.
We will organise a conference in Budapest on 6
August 2016 where we remember and pay tribute to
the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atombombing on 1945 and support firmly the global
public demand to create a peaceful and just world
free from nuclear weapons.
Take our letter as a sign of support for theimportant international conferences what youorganise these days in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
At the same time we would appreciate receivinga message from you what we would read to theparticipants of our Hirosima Day conference here in
Budapest, Hungary on 6 August 2016.
Wishing you a successful conferences,
Sincerely yours,

Theresa Wolfwood, Women in Black, Canada
Dear Friends,
Please find below the leaflet that Victoria BC,
Canada, Women in Black prepared and passed out
on August 8 at our vigil in Victoria. Also several
photos from the event. We send you best wishes andsolidarity in the hope for peace and nuclear
disarmament.
Remembering Hiroshima- Nagasaki, August,
1945- 2016: VICTORIA WOMEN IN BLACK ispart of a world-wide movement for peace & nonviolence
On August 6, 1945 the USA dropped the atombomb on Hiroshima; on August 9, another bomb
was dropped on Nagasaki. British pilot Leonard
Cheshire, on board the plane with that bomb,
described the bombing as, “Obscene in its greedy
clawing at the earth, swelling as if with its
regurgitation of all the life that it had consumed.”
200,000 people died immediately & within daysof these bombings; 69 years later people continue to
die from the radiation effects of these toxic bombs.
Canada provided the uranium for those bombs; thenative people who worked at the uranium deposit
died and continue to die from radiation-caused
cancers to this date. Canada provided most of theuranium for the bombs that were dropped on

Phyllis Creighton (Science for Peace, Canada)
Dear Taka-san,
I hope you are well. We will be thinking about
you as we hold our annual commemoration ofHiroshima and Nagasaki, on August 6th. Setsuko
will be our keynote speaker and I am to be the MConce more.
Through you, I want to send my good wishes for
the Gensuikyo conference soon to take place inHiroshima and Nagasaki. I hope you can pass mymessage along.
I wish the participants in the 2016 World
Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs
every success. Many of us around the world joinwith you in spirit. We must all work to achieve atreaty outlawing nuclear weapons, the most barbaric,
immoral weapon of mass destruction. Throughthe witness of the hibakusha, we know the horror,
devastation, and pain inflicted by atomic bombing.
We must demand this threat to all our lives be ended.
Tell the world the time for a ban treaty is NOW!

Andrea LeBlanc (September 11 Families for
Peaceful Tomorrows, U.S.A.)
Dear Friends in Japan,
It is with horror and sorrow that I acknowledge
that Atomic bombs were dropped on innocent

123Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 with devastating
effects on the Dene people of Great Bear Lake. In
the 1940s they started mining it using local people
for labour. At the same time the Dene gave themcaribou, moose and fish. "They were strangers
living among us on our land so we took care ofthem." In return, the locals helped extract andtransport the deadly ore with no knowledge of its
dangers. The southern miners left the people with
toxic waste dumps in their community and radiation
ticking in their bodies.
Canada is the 3nd largest producer &exporter ofuranium in the world.
USA, Russia, China,
Britain, Israel, France, India, Pakistan (& maybe
others) have more than 17,000 nuclear bombs,
many made with Canadian technology & materials.
They are moving around the globe everyday on land,in the seas & the air. Canada continues to becomplicit in nuclear development by sellinguranium and technology for nuclear energy (which
also contaminates the world with harmful radiation)and for bombs. Canada provides so called & highly
radioactive ‘depleted uranium’, to 22 nations forweapons – bomb casings, guns, tanks and othersteel-hardening military uses. Depleted Uranium
weapons were tested in Panama & used in Iraq,
Afghanistan and former Yugoslavia.
The Canada Pension Plan, mandatory for all
working Canadians, invests our contributions in the
5 largest arm makers in the world which makenuclear as well as non-nuclear weapons that are soldto and used in many countries again civilian
populations.
Nuclear weapons and radioactivity continue tothreaten the health of all life systems and undermine
the security of human society.
Wealth andresources wasted on war-making are needed tocreate a peaceful and sustainable life for all
humanity.
It is time to call for nuclear
disarmament and a moratorium on uranium mining;to call for cuts in our military spending and anincrease in social, health and education budgets.
Our precious resources and energy should bedirected to the creation of a peaceful, just andhealthy world. Nuclear nations & a handful of men
can destroy all life on earth & that unspoken threat
is behind wars waged by nuclear powers today.
Setsuko Thurlow, (in photo), one of four Atom
Bomb survivors in Canada says that climate change
from most sources is slow & we can reverse it;
climate change caused by nuclear explosion is
instantaneous and irreversible. Women in Black
joins her and peace activists worldwide insupporting the UN based alliance of non-nuclear
nations and citizen groups that are calling for global
nuclear disarmament.

124

Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World
Citizens
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Association of World Citizens,
I wish to send you our warm wishes to advance inour common cause of abolishing nuclear
weapons. Together, we work for the dismantling of
nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass
destruction. Together we urge the creation of thenecessary legal and political commitments to assurecompliance with prohibitions on the threat and useof force. Together we work for the development of
acceptable approaches to settling international
disputes by peaceful means providing for justiceand redress of grievances.
We agree together that progress along theselines requires the development of effective norms,
procedures and institutions that can provide theneeded foundation for a just world society. We
agree that such progress requires the relinquishment
of attitudes and behavior that in the past have beenstumbling blocks to progress.
Thus, now we need to examine our priorities forthis critical period as we move into the emerging
world society with adequate means of settlingconflicts among States. We are on the threshold of
a new era. The wave of the future is with us as wewalk under a banner of common purpose and speakwith a common voice. With a strong sense ofcommon responsibility for the wellbeing of
humanity, we advance together in a spirit ofOneness.

Program of Events of the 2016 World Conference against
A and H Bombs (August 1 to 10, 2016)
August 1 (Mon.)
Dedication of flowers to Hiroshima A-Bomb Memorial Cenotaph (Peace Park); Visit to Peace Memorial
Museum; Registration (Hotel Sunroute Hiroshima)
Information meeting for overseas delegates (2F, Hotel Sunroute Hiroshima)
August 2 (Tue.)
Visit to A-bomb Hospitals (Hiroshima Red Cross A-Bomb Hospital and Funairi-Mutsumien nursery home
for A-bomb survivors)
Opening and Plenary Sessions I & II, International Meeting (Prado Hall, Hotel Century 21 - Hiroshima)
August 3 (Wed.)
Plenary Session III, International Meeting (Prado Hall, Hotel Century 21 - Hiroshima)
Workshops, International Meeting (Hotel Century 21- Hiroshima)
Drafting Committee Meeting (Hotel Sunroute Hiroshima)
August 4 (Thurs.)
Closing Session, International Meeting (Prado Hall, Hotel Century 21 - Hiroshima)
Opening Plenary, 2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs - Hiroshima(Green Arena, Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium)
Ring! Link! Zero! - Youth Rally 2016 (Small Arena, Prefectural Gymnasium)
August 5 (Fri.)Workshops/Field trips (Different venues throughout Hiroshima City)
International Forum: For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons – Dialogue between Governments and NGOs
(Prado Hall, Hotel Century 21 Hiroshima)
No Nukes! Women’s Forum 2016 (Small Arena, Prefectural Gymnasium)
August 6 (Sat.)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony (Peace Park)
Closing Plenary, 2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs – Hiroshima(Green Arena, Prefectural Gymnasium)
Lantern Floating Ceremony (Motomachi River Park)
August 7 (Sun.)
Move to Nagasaki by chartered bus; Visit to A-Bomb Epicenter Park and A-bomb Museum
August 8 (Mon.)
International Forum: For a Total Ban on Nuclear Weapons -- Grass-roots Movement and International
Solidarity (Nakabe Auditorium, Nagasaki University)
Visit to Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Genbaku HospitalAugust 9 (Tue.)
Nagasaki Day Rally, 2016 World Conference against A & H Bombs (Nagasaki Shimin Kaikan Gymnasium)
Nagasaki Day Street Signature Campaign (Hamanomachi Shopping Arcade)
Farewell Party (Nagasaki Washington Hotel)
August 10 (Wed.)
Departure of overseas delegates; Visit to local groups125List of Organizing Committee Members of theWorld Conference against A and H Bombs(As of August 2016)
Member Organizations (INPO):
National Confederation of Trade Unions (ZENROREN)
All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (ZENKYO)
Japan Federation of Private University Teachers' and Employees’ Unions
All Judicial Workers’ Union
Labor Union of MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, Tourism), JMA (Japan Meteorological
Agency) and Affiliates
All Japan Non-Life Insurance Labor Union
Japan Social Welfare and Child-Nursing Workers Union
National Confederation of Automobile Transportation Workers Unions
Japanese Democratic Writers Association
National Council of Singing Voice of Japan Organizations
Japan Federation of Women's Organizations (FUDANREN)
All Japan Federation of Student Unions (ZENGAKUREN)
League of Public Order Maintenance Law Victims for State Compensation
Japan Peace Committee
Japan-Eurasia Society
Japan-China Friendship Association
Japan Asia Africa Latin America Solidarity Committee
Japan Family Farmers Movement (NOUMINREN)
All Health and Welfare Ministry Workers Union
National General Workers Union - National Confederation of Trade Unions
Congress of Poets
National Federation of Tenants' Associations
Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions (MIN-IREN)
National Council of Visual Disabled in JapanNew Japan Women's Association (SHINFUJIN)
Japan Customs Personnel Labour Union
Japan Federation of National Public Service Employees' Unions
Japan Federation of Publishing Workers' Unions
National Federation of Financial Industry Workers’ Unions
Japanese Red Cross Society Workers’ Union
Film and Allied Workers’ Union
Japan Realist Photographers Association
Japan Scientists’ Association
Association for Workers Education of Japan
Women's Democratic ClubJapan Council of Religionists for Peace
Japan Christians' Association for Peace
Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (GENSUIKYO)
Workers' Union of Health Insurance Hospitals
National Government Employees' Mutual Aid Association Hospital Workers' Union
Postal Industry Workers' Union
All Japan Construction, Transport and General Workers' Union
Japan Federation of Medical Workers' Unions
Japan National Hospital Workers’ Union
Japan-Korea Friendship Association
Japan Center, Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace
Democratic Youth League of Japan
National Federation of Traders and Producers Organizations (ZENSHOREN)
126

All Japan Federation of Medical Students Self-governing Associations
Central Liaison Conference of Youth and Students for a Bright Progressive Japan
Japan-Cambodia Friendship Association
National Confederation of Human Rights Movements in the Community
National Campaign Committee for Abrogation of the Japan-US Security Treaty
National Workers Union of Social Insurance Fee FundJapan-Vietnam Friendship Association
National Federation of Environmental Pollution Patients' Organizations
National Federation of Associations for Safeguarding Living and Health
New Japan Medical Association (Shin-I-Kyo)
All Justice Ministry Employees' Union
Liberty Lawyers Guild
National Forum for Peace, Democracy and Progressive Unity
New Japan Tanka Poets Association
All Japan Congress of Realist Theaters
National Council of Graduate Students
All Labor Ministry Workers' Union
All Japan Confederation of Warehouse and Transport Workers' Unions
National Council of Securities Industry Workers Unions
Water Resources Development Corporation Workers' Union
National Federation of JA Hospital Workers Unions
National Workers' Union of Labor Accident Hospitals
Liaison Conference of Cultural Organizations
Japan Clerks Union
Warabi-za Theater Group
Joint Struggle Conference of Welfare Ministry Workers Unions
Faculty and Staff Union of Japanese Universities
Japan Congress of Recreation Leaders
Workers Union of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Tele-Communication Workers’ Union
All Japan Metal and Information Machinery Workers’ Union (JMIU)
Japan Federation of Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Unions (Jichiroren)
National Federation of Agricultural Co-op Workers Unions
Tokyo Metropolitan and Ward Governments Workers' Union
Legal Assistance and Human Rights Association of Japan
Japanese Federation of Commercial Broadcasting Workers' Unions
National Tax Office Workers' Union
Japan-Cuba Friendship Association
Japanese Medical and Dental Practitioners for the Improvement of Medical Care
Association for a Non-Nuclear Government
Japan Federation of Co-op Labor Unions
Japan Pensioners’ Union
Observer
Federation of National Diet Workers' Unions

Committee of Chairpersons:
AKAMATSU Koichi
ANZAI Ikuro
ANIYA Masaaki
ARAKAWA Yosei
EJIRI Mihoko
OTA Yoshiro

Representative Director, Japan Council against A and H Bombs
Director, Anzai Science & Peace Office (ASAP)
Professor emeritus, Okinawa International University
Buddhist monk/ Director General, Japan Council of Religionists for
Peace
Former President, Japan YWCA/ Professor emeritus, Tsuda College
President, National Federation of Traders and Producers
Organizations127

OMORI Masanobu
OGATA Yasuo
OGAWA Seiryo
OSANAI Mieko
ODAGAWA Yoshikazu
KASAI Kimiyo
KOYAMA Minoru
SATO Mitsuo
SAMEJIMA Chiaki
SAWADA Shoji
SHIBATA Masako
SUZUKI Tesshu
TSUBOI Shunji
NAKAMURA Yuta
HATADA Shigeo
HAMABAYASHI Masao
HAYASHI Tatsuya
FUJISUE Mamoru
MUROU Noboru

Professor emeritus, Hiroshima University
Executive Committee Vice-Chairperson, Japanese Communist Party
Professor emeritus, Japan College of Social WorkScenario writer
President, National Confederation of Trade Unions (ZENROREN)
President, New Japan Women’s Association
President, Democratic Youth League of Japan
Representative Director, Japan Peace Committee
Advisor, Japanese Medical and Dental Practitioners for the
Improvement of Medical Care
Hibakusha / Professor emeritus, Nagoya University
President, Japan Federation of Women’s Organizations
Buddhist monk/ Adviser, Japan Council of Religionists for Peace
Japan-Eurasia Society/ Former Executive member of Japan
Consumers’ Cooperative Union
President, All Japan Federation of Student Unions
Researcher of International Politics
Professor emeritus, Hitotsubashi University/ Honorary
Representative Director, Japan Scientists Association
Advisor, Hiroshima YMCA
President, Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions(MIN-IREN)
Advisor, Japanese Medical and Dental Practitioners for the
Improvement of Medical Care

Co-Chairpersons of the Steering Committee:
TAKAKUSAKI Hiroshi
NOGUCHI Kunikazu

Japan Council against A and H Bombs
Association for a Non-Nuclear Government128

Organizing Committee
World Conference against A and H Bombs

原水爆禁止2016年世界大会

2-4-4 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8464 Japan
Tel: 03-5842-6034 Fax: 03-5842-6033
E-mail: intl@antiatom.org December 20162016 World Conference
against A and H Bombs
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, August 2-9, 20162016 World Conference against A & H Bombs

Organizing Committee
World Conference against A and H Bombs

DIC-16