Call from Nagasaki

   On August 9, 1945, one atomic bomb turned Nagasaki, an international city of culture, into a hell. Heat rays, blasts and radiation took the lives of more than 70,000 people, leaving on those who barely survived deep scars that have never gone away 62 years since the bombing.

   The tragedy of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and the suffering of the Hibakusha teach us a lesson: Humans can never coexist with nuclear weapons. With his remarks that the dropping of the atomic bombs could not be helped, the former Defense Minister, whose constituency is Nagasaki, ignored that lesson, and virtually showed tolerance to the use of nuclear weapons. The Minister was forced to resign due to the strong will of the Hibakusha and the people of the atomic bombed country who never accept the existence, let alone the use, of nuclear weapons.

   The outcry of the Hibakusha for the abolition of nuclear weapons has now become a global call, shared by the people and an overwhelming majority of the governments across the world. Toward the NPT Review Conference in 2010, people are increasingly committed to pressing the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their “unequivocal undertaking” to accomplish the elimination of their nuclear arsenals, by strengthening solidarity between grass-roots movements, civil society and committed governments.

   The U.S., having pushed ahead with its preemptive attack strategy, including the use of nuclear weapons, on the premise of preventing “terrorism and nuclear proliferation”, is now bogged down in the war in Iraq and faces severe criticism from home and abroad, becoming more and more isolated in the international community. In Japan, the people rendered a severe judgment on the Abe government in the recent House of Councilors Election, giving a major blow to its attempt to adversely revise Article 9 with a view to making Japan a “country that will wage war together with the U.S.”

   Now is the time to raise our voices: “Abolish Nuclear Weapons!”, “Achieve a Nuclear-free, Peaceful Japan!”, and “Defend Article 9!”, and to powerfully develop nationwide actions. We extend our call from the atomic bombed city of Nagasaki:

   - Toward the NPT Review Conference in 2010, let us widely develop public opinion and actions for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Let us urge the United Nations and the governments to start negotiating on an international treaty for a total ban on nuclear weapons.

   - Let us take the opportunities of United Nations General Assembly and the NPT PrepCom to promote the signature campaign for the Swift Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. Let us strengthen our day-to-day efforts such as Monthly 6th & 9th Day Actions in communities, workplaces and schools.

   - Let us develop the campaign for a “Declaration for a Nuclear Weapon-Free Japan” by lobbying all local assemblies in their upcoming sessions in September to urge the national government to declare its commitment to the abolition of nuclear weapons and to the strict observance of the Three Non-nuclear Principles.

   - Let us further develop nationwide actions and cooperation to preserve Article 9.

   - Let us expand the struggles in Okinawa and other places in Japan against the plan to realign and strengthen U.S. bases, and the struggle against the deployment of a nuclear aircraft carrier in Yokosuka. Let us bring the Japanese Self-Defense Forces back home from Iraq and the Indian Ocean.

   - Let us urge the government to bring a total solution to the collective lawsuits for A-bomb disease recognition and carry out a fundamental improvement of the recognition system.

   - Let us hold A-bomb photo exhibitions throughout the world, including the one now planned in Egypt this coming October. In solidarity with Hibakusha, let us further strengthen our effort to inherit Hibakusha’s experiences and aspirations to hand them down to the next generation and to the rest of the world.

   A “nuclear weapon-free, peaceful and just world” is possible. Let us now join our forces together to stand up for action.

   No More Nagasakis! No More Hiroshimas! No More Hibakusha!

August 9, 2007

2007 World Conference against Atomic & Hydrogen Bombs-Nagasaki