Peace organizations protest against U.S. subcritical nuclear test

At the news about the September 27 (JST) U.S. subcritical nuclear test, the Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) and other peace organizations lodged a protest with the U.S. government on the same day.

Akamatsu Koichi of Japan Gensuikyo and 17 other people representing various peace organizations visited the U.S. embassy in Tokyo and read a protest letter addressed to U.S. President George W. Bush.

They pointed out that the latest U.S. subcritical nuclear test is closely linked to the present U.S. war plans that do not exclude the possible use of nuclear weapons, and demanded that the U.S. government stop developing nuclear weapons, including the ongoing nuclear tests.

The Japan Gensuikyo letter called on the United States to keep the promise it made at the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference in 2000 for the elimination of its nuclear arsenals. It also demands that the United States retract plans to strike Iraq and stop drafting plans to use such weapons.

The Japanese Physicians Forum against Nuclear War and for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on September 27 sent a letter to the U.S. president in protest against the subcritical nuclear test.

Expressing indignation at the U.S. subcritical nuclear test, the anti-nuclear physicians demanded that the United States give up its plan to attack Iraq and called on the United States to honor its international pledge to eliminate its nuclear arsenals. (end)