For the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
Letter on the NPT
In response to proposal of NGO Committee on Disarmament, Hidankyo sent a letter on the NPT before the NPT Prep Comm from April 27 1998.
March 16 1998
NGO Committee on Disarmament
New York
Dear Friends
We appreciate your proposal on the Preparatory Committee for the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review. We would like to make clear Hidankyo's point of view on the NPT.
We, Hibakusha (Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors) consider that the current most significant issue is to abolish nuclear weapons as soon as possible and the NPT is impeditive rather than effectual for this goal. The NPT is an unequal treaty that never places restrictions on possessing nuclear weapons of nuclear power states and never allows any development of nuclear weapons of non-nuclear power states.
The nuclear power states are not obligated with any concrete measures for nuclear disarmament and not applied for object of international cooperative inspections.
In this context, it is impossible that the NPT will contribute to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons. As long as the NPT makes no reference to this fundamental issue, Hidankyo has to take objection to continuance of the NPT.
We hope that the Preparatory Committee for the NPT will be replaced for regarding the treaty for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
In peace
Nihon Hidankyo