It is extremely hot this summer. Japan sees the 79th year from the atomic bombings. Under the threats of a possible use of nuclear weapons coming from Russia and Israel, the world today is exposed again to crisis of nuclear races and proliferation. Japan, a sole nation attacked by nuclear arms, is being watched by the rest of the world how she will behave in the current trend.
MAKE FRESH DETERMINATION TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Succeeding experiences to coming generations
A group of Nagasaki’s Hibakushas (=survivors from the atomic bombings) and their heirs visited the United States last year: the delegation consisting of ten members held dialogue and exchange meetings to seek for abolition of nuclear weapons in the 23 schools and churches in three cities.
The group of people have had the objectives as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) does not work today; to appeal directly to citizens about the inhumane weapons and to formulate social atmosphere against nuclear arms in the United States, understanding limits in their activities staged through the United Nations and other international organizations. At the same time the survivors believed that it was the last opportunity for them to talk actually.
Chairman Tomonaga Masao, a Hibakusha and doctor, told that ‘the United States has responsibility to put an end to the nuclear era as it is the nation that have developed and used this kind of armaments. If young generations of the United States continue dialoguing, an era free of nuclear arms will certainly come’. He himself makes fresh determination to exterminate this kind of arms.
A hell was generated after the atomic bombings. A person who was ten years old then is now 90 years old. It is time when neither people who talk about the inferno nor the listeners have experienced wars.
Lessons from Fukushima and Noto
The government of Japan has changed its direction through the Cabinet decision to enhance nuclear power generation, even though nobody can tell when the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant, which was caused by the 2011 earthquakes, will be put an end from the disaster. The Kishida government will go to constructing new power plants, surpassing from the re-operation at the suspended nuclear stations.
In the earthquakes which occurred in the Noto Peninsula area last January, the ground level was elevated by 2-4 meters from the original line in the cities of Wajima and Suzu. The nearby Shika Nuclear Power Station was inflicted on troubles beyond the previous estimates. The facilities had been ready for the shakings, but no one has foreseen the 4-meter upthrust. The situation cannot be swept aside simply by altering evacuation routes for residents.
Concerning re-operation at the existing nuclear power stations, the evacuation plans are elaborated but the usefulness is questionable. Throughout the land of Japan, there is no good spot to build a nuclear power plant, and facilities for transitional and final disposals of toxic wastes, either.
Needed is declaration to eliminate nuclear arms
The 79th round of the World Congress against A-and-H Bombs will soon be held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The international situation is so confused that people feel hard to appeal elimination of these arms. In March 2025, the year which will be commemorated as the 80th year from the bombings, is planned in New York the 3rd meeting of the States Parties to the TPNW (=Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons).
The TPNW took effect in January 2021. As of January 2024, seventy nations have joined it, but Japan has neither signed nor ratified it.
Japan is the sole nation attacked by the nuclear arms, and therefore, she has duties to drive the rest of the world toward abolition of the arsenal, making people of the world know about the disasters of these weapons.
We have a mission to make the government of Japan ratify the TPNW as immediately as possible.
猛烈に暑い夏とともに、日本は原爆投下から79年を迎える。ロシアとイスラエルによる核使用の威嚇で、世界は再び核軍拡・拡散の危機が進行する。唯一の戦争被爆国・日本の立ち位置が問われる。
実相を次世代へ
昨年、長崎の被爆者団体が被爆者をはじめ被爆二世・三世を含む10人でアメリカの三都市を訪問し、学校・教会など23カ所で核廃絶を求める対話と交流ツアーを実施した。
核不拡散条約が機能不全に陥る中で、国連や国際的機関の中だけで働きかけることの限界を感じ、核兵器の非人道性を直接市民に訴え、アメリカでの世論形成を図るのが目的だった。また、被爆者が生の声で話す最後の機会だという思いも込められた。
被爆者で医師の朝長万左男会長は、「原爆を開発し、投下したアメリカだからこそ核の時代を終わらせる責任がある。日本とアメリカの若い世代が対話を続ければ核兵器のない未来は必ず来る」と核廃絶への決意を新たにしている。
原爆投下が生み出した地獄。当時10歳だった被爆者は90 歳になる。語る者も聞く者も、戦争を知らない世代になる。
福島・能登の教訓
日本政府は福島第一原発事故の収束が見通せないにもかかわらず、閣議決定によって原発推進政策に舵を切った。岸田政権は原発の再稼働から増設にまで踏み込もうとしている。
能登半島地震では輪島市、珠洲市で２～４ⅿの地盤隆起が起き、志賀原発が「想定外」の事態に陥った。揺れに対する耐震対策はしても、４ｍの隆起は想定外だった。避難経路の変更では済まされない事態だ。
全国各地の原発の再稼働においても、住民の避難計画が策定されているが、その実効性は疑わしい。日本のどこにも原発立地場所はなく、中間処分場、最終処分場しかりだ。
核廃絶を明確に
原水禁世界大会は今年79周年を迎える。核廃絶を巡る情勢は大変困難な状況にある。被爆80 年となる来年３月には、米ニューヨークで第３回締約国会議が予定されている。
２０２１年１月に発効した核兵器禁止条約は今年１月現在、70カ国が締約しているが、日本は条約に署名も批准もしていない。
唯一の「戦争被爆国」である日本は、被爆の実相を世界に訴え、核廃絶を世界に迫らなければならない立場にあるはずだ。私たちは、１日も早く日本政府に核兵器禁止条約を批准させなければならない。
英訳版↓
No. 1364 The 79th Year from Atomic Bombings
It is extremely hot this summer. Japan sees the 79th year from the atomic bombings. Under the threats of a possible use of nuclear weapons coming from Russia and Israel, the world today is exposed again to crisis of nuclear races and proliferation. Japan, a sole nation attacked by nuclear arms, is being watched by the rest of the world how she will behave in the current trend.
MAKE FRESH DETERMINATION TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Succeeding experiences to coming generations
A group of Nagasaki’s Hibakushas (=survivors from the atomic bombings) and their heirs visited the United States last year: the delegation consisting of ten members held dialogue and exchange meetings to seek for abolition of nuclear weapons in the 23 schools and churches in three cities.
The group of people have had the objectives as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) does not work today; to appeal directly to citizens about the inhumane weapons and to formulate social atmosphere against nuclear arms in the United States, understanding limits in their activities staged through the United Nations and other international organizations. At the same time the survivors believed that it was the last opportunity for them to talk actually.
Chairman Tomonaga Masao, a Hibakusha and doctor, told that ‘the United States has responsibility to put an end to the nuclear era as it is the nation that have developed and used this kind of armaments. If young generations of the United States continue dialoguing, an era free of nuclear arms will certainly come’. He himself makes fresh determination to exterminate this kind of arms.
A hell was generated after the atomic bombings. A person who was ten years old then is now 90 years old. It is time when neither people who talk about the inferno nor the listeners have experienced wars.
Lessons from Fukushima and Noto
The government of Japan has changed its direction through the Cabinet decision to enhance nuclear power generation, even though nobody can tell when the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant, which was caused by the 2011 earthquakes, will be put an end from the disaster. The Kishida government will go to constructing new power plants, surpassing from the re-operation at the suspended nuclear stations.
In the earthquakes which occurred in the Noto Peninsula area last January, the ground level was elevated by 2-4 meters from the original line in the cities of Wajima and Suzu. The nearby Shika Nuclear Power Station was inflicted on troubles beyond the previous estimates. The facilities had been ready for the shakings, but no one has foreseen the 4-meter upthrust. The situation cannot be swept aside simply by altering evacuation routes for residents.
Concerning re-operation at the existing nuclear power stations, the evacuation plans are elaborated but the usefulness is questionable. Throughout the land of Japan, there is no good spot to build a nuclear power plant, and facilities for transitional and final disposals of toxic wastes, either.
Needed is declaration to eliminate nuclear arms
The 79th round of the World Congress against A-and-H Bombs will soon be held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The international situation is so confused that people feel hard to appeal elimination of these arms. In March 2025, the year which will be commemorated as the 80th year from the bombings, is planned in New York the 3rd meeting of the States Parties to the TPNW (=Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons).
The TPNW took effect in January 2021. As of January 2024, seventy nations have joined it, but Japan has neither signed nor ratified it.
Japan is the sole nation attacked by the nuclear arms, and therefore, she has duties to drive the rest of the world toward abolition of the arsenal, making people of the world know about the disasters of these weapons.
We have a mission to make the government of Japan ratify the TPNW as immediately as possible.
July 24, 2024