August 5, 2018

A warm welcome greeted the 2018 antinuke peace march participants who arrived on August 4 at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City after a three-month journey covering various routes across Japan.

Braving the summer heat with daytime temperatures over 34 degrees Celsius, a rally took place after the arrival of the march with 500 people participating, including eight peace marchers who walked all the way along the Tokyo-Hiroshima route.

Representing the World Conference against A and H Bombs organizing committee which hosts the annual peace march, the All-Japan Commerce and Industry Organization Association (Zenshoren) president, Ota Yoshio, delivered a speech. Citing the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons and the U.S.-North Korea summit, Ota said that these events have brought about ever more progress in the efforts to create a world without nuclear weapons and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Ota went on to say, “It is necessary to further strengthen our movement in order to have Japan sign and ratify the antinuclear UN treaty.”

Messages from Hiroshima Mayor Matsui Kazumi and Hiroshima City Assembly chair Nagata Masaki were read out.

Past related article:
> 60-year-old nationwide antinuke peace march begins [May 8, 2018]