hibakusha

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Nihon Hidankyo holds 51st regular meeting

The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) held its 51st regular meeting in Tokyo on June 6-7 and adopted its 2006 action plan.

Nihon Hidankyo will go ahead with its activities in Japan and abroad to establish a world without nuclear weapons and wars, get the realities of the atomic bombings across to younger generations and Japanese lawmakers, publish the Nihon Hidankyo's history marking the 50th anniversary of its founding, and make a success of the workshop on Hibakusha issues scheduled for July.

Assistant General Secretary Iwasa Mikiso said, "As a result of 50 years of efforts made by Hibakusha who have organized Nihon Hidankyo," Nihon Hidankyo has become widely known to the world and was short-listed for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Secretary Genral Tanaka Terumi proposed to put pressure on political parties and Dietmembers to revise the existing laws so as to drastically improve measures in support of A-bomb victims.

On the first day of the meeting, Naito Masayoshi of the Japan Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms reported on the May 12 Osaka District Court ruling which met the all nine plaintiffs' claim that their diseases be recognized as caused by A-bomb radiation. He emphasized the need to increase the campaign to bring another victory in the upcoming Hiroshima District Court's decision in a similar lawsuit.

Assistant General Secretary Yamamoto Hidenori also reported that last year marking the 60th anniversary of the A-bombings, Nihon Hidankyo made great achievements in its activities to establish "a world without nuclear weapons and wars," such as an A-bomb photo exhibition held at the U.N. headquarters and the "International Citizens' Conference for No More Hiroshimas and Nagasakis."
- Akahata, June 7 and 8, 2006