Nagasaki mayor lashes out at U.S. nuclear policy

On August 9, at a ceremony to pay tribute to the victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki 57 years back, Nagasaki City Mayor Ito Iccho read a peace declaration criticizing the United States for pursuing a nuclear preemptive strike policy. It is for the first time a Nagasaki mayor used the peace declaration to criticize the United States by name.

Ito stated, "We are appalled by this series of unilateral actions by the government of the United States, actions that are also being condemned by people of sound judgment throughout the world."

The mayor also denounced the chief cabinet secretary's remark on the need to review the Three-Non Nuclear Principles as stabbing the hearts of Nagasaki citizens. He called for the Three Non-nuclear Principles (not to possess, produce, or allow nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan) to be made into law. He urged the government to establish Japan's position of not depending on U.S. nuclear umbrella.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro who attended the ceremony in his speech did refer to nuclear weapons abolition but stopped short of mentioning the dangerous U.S. policy that includes the possible first-strike use of nuclear weapons. (end)