Kobayashi Setsu
Lawyer, Professor Emeritus at Keio University
Co-Convenor, “Signature Campaign for Japan’s Participation in the TPNW”
There is a war going on in Ukraine where two major military powers, namely the U.S. and Russia, areconfronting each other, exchanging threats of planned use of nuclear weapons. We must stop suchstupidity at any cost. It could be quite simply done by discouraging President Putin and President
Biden from continuing the war, but it is not that simple to actually meet these two Presidents in person.
However, there still is a way to stop the war. In fact, though Russia and the U.S. have different politicalregimes, in both countries, their Presidents must give up their status when they lose the confidence ofthe people they govern. This is why we must try to make the U.S. and Russian public understand theterrible humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons by providing them with precise
information so that they will feel legitimate “fear” for these weapons. If we can do this, the popularwill in both countries will drive the Presidents into a corner and out of their offices.
In this connection, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in summer remain as actual examples to remind us ofwhat was the only use of nuclear weapons in war and its consequences on humans. It is therefore ourresponsibility to disseminate the reality of the atomic bombings throughout the world by any means
possible.
I believe that no one contests the extraordinary “inhumane nature” of nuclear weapons. However, I
wish to look at it briefly with you again. In August 1945, nuclear weapons were used on Hiroshimaand Nagasaki. These weapons instantly transformed these cities into hell and almost all people,combatants and non-combatants alike, were killed or heavily injured and died later. Most of those
few who exceptionally survived, lived in anxiety and died premature deaths due to diseases.
Children of the survivors had their DNA modified by radiation exposure and have had to live many
decades long, tormented by fear for future and ill health. Humans created such inhumane weapons as
a result of arms race, but these weapons must never be used. The reason why they must never beused is that humans have “morality”. It is this morality that makes humanity special among all living
creatures on earth.
Now that the risk of nuclear weapons being used again on humans is growing, because of theongoing war in Ukraine, we have the responsibility to clearly and loudly present to the world theinhumanity of nuclear weapons.
For the Japanese people, as the sovereign of Japan, there is a thing they can and should do right now.

It is to have the Japanese government ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons(TPNW, adopted in 2017 and took effect in 2021). Japan is the only nation in the world to haveexperienced the atomic bombing in war. Despite this, it has been included in the group of countries
under the U.S. “nuclear umbrella” in the Cold War regime that divided the world into confronting
blocks. In addition, because of the reality of the Cold War, it cannot take side for autocratic regimes
such as Russia or China. The only possible choice for Japan in that context is to align itself with freeand democratic regimes, such as the U.S., U.K. or France. However, there is no reason why Japan, asovereign independent country, cannot ratify the TPNW. The elimination of nuclear weapons stands
as an “ideal” that embodies uncontested human morality. It is a moral objective that humanity mustpursue. Even in a particular context that does not allow such a pursuit, to be conscious of that ideal
and work to achieve it is a privilege and specific feature accorded to humanity which is a moralspecies. Especially, as the only nation to experience nuclear weapon use in war, and today, as acountry to provide largest non-military aid to Ukraine in the current war, Japan is entitled to upholdthe elimination of nuclear weapons as its state goal.
Nevertheless, at the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima in May this year with Japan as a chair country,Prime Minister Kishida helped the meeting produce a declaration that endorsed the potential use ofnuclear weapons as a deterrent. This declaration prepared as a conclusion of the meeting held inHiroshima, chaired by a prime minister of Japan from the A-bombed Hiroshima, is a blasphemy tothe longing souls of A-bomb survivors for peace. It was also a gross outrage that hampers theprogress of human civilization. He missed the greatest opportunity to issue a declaration from noneother than Hiroshima, envisaging definitive renouncement to nuclear weapons.
Now that Prime Minister has made such a stupid mistake, it is the people of Japan, the sovereign ofthe country and nobody else that can hold Prime Minister accountable. As general elections could
be held before the year end, I would like to propose that we launch from here and now a campaign tocall for the “TPNW ratification” as one of the major issues of the election.
To close my talk, I wish to present my appreciation and gratitude to all of you who have come toNagasaki to unite ourselves for achieving the elimination of nuclear weapons.