For the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
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Letter to the Heads of States and Governments
The following Special Resolution was adopted at the 43rd Hidankyo Annual General Assembly, June, 1998.
SPECIAL RESOLUTION
Our Demand on the Nuclear Weapons States and Japanese Government Concerning New Nuclear Crisis in South Asia
We, the survivors of the hell of the first nuclear war in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have consistently appealed to the world for half a century, "Don't create another Hibakusha," and "Don't repeat nuclear war: Eliminate nuclear weapons," while speaking out of our own experiences about the horror of nuclear weapons.
We have strongly denounced the United States government for dropping the atomic bombs as the gravest crime in human history, and demanded an apology and expiation. We have also repeatedly demanded that the U.S. should be the first to start dismantling its own nuclear weapons and to take initiatives for the global elimination of nuclear weapons, as the proof of its apology. As to the five nuclear powers, the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China, we have repeatedly demanded from them the recognition that development, experiment, possession and research of nuclear weapons themselves amount to a serious crime against humanity, and that these nations realize the elimination of nuclear weapons at the earliest possible date. Moreover, we have consistently appealed to the Japanese government to fully inform the world of the reality of the atomic bombing, and to accuse the U.S. of violating international law for the serious crime of dropping the atomic bombs. We have further requested that the Japanese government urge the five nuclear powers, the US, Russia, Britain, France and China, to renounce their nuclear weapons and to work in the forefront of world opinion demanding nuclear abolition.
In the last several years, our appeal seems to have finally won worldwide attention and a great surge of public opinion for nuclear abolition has emerged, giving us hope that our desperate wish for a "nuclear-free 21st century" is gradually and steadily becoming a reality.
Then, on May 11 and 13, 1998, India conducted the nuclear tests, reversing its previous position and argument for nuclear abolition. And on May 28 and 30, Pakistan followed India by conducting a series of nuclear tests. With full indignation and in the harshest terms, we denounce these outrageous actions by the two countries, which have put off the day of nuclear elimination.
But where can we find the root cause for such a serious situation, and who is responsible for it?
The first to blame is the United States, which developed and used the atomic bombs for the first time in history. The US must be held responsible for having started the nuclear arms development race. Second are the responsibilities of Russia, Britain, France and China, which have maintained their arrogant attitudes of regarding only their nuclear weapons as legitimate in the competition with the U.S., while prohibiting other states from developing them. We demand that these five nuclear wastes immediately renounce their own nuclear weapons, and that they take effective measures for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Next, the Japanese government is as responsible as the five nuclear powers. What role has it ever played in international arena, while claiming to be the "only A-bombed nation?" What kind of effort has it made to inform the world of the horror of nuclear weapons? Has it not discouraged the move toward nuclear elimination and nuclear disarmament at the United Nations by speaking of an "ultimate elimination" which has pigeonholed and postponed the elimination of nuclear weapons to an indefinite future? Has it not supported the US "nuclear deterrence" policy, and accepted the "nuclear umbrella," allowing the nuclear arms race among the nuclear powers?
The first resolution of the United Nations, adopted in January 1946, clearly called for the elimination of nuclear weapons. For the last half a century, had the Japanese government together with us, the Hibakusha, seriously accused the US for dropping the A-bomb and had it made an effort to let the world know the truth of "Hiroshima and Nagasaki," the post-1949 nuclear arms race could have been prevented and today's serious situation would not have been invited. In the post WWII era, the Japanese government has always had, and still has, a duty to make all possible efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
We denounce the Japanese government with full indignation for having neglected such a duty to this day.
Nuclear weapons are more inhuman and brutal than any other weapon and violate international law. To say nothing of the use and threat of use of them, the development, testing, possession, and research all amount to atrocious crimes against humanity.
We strongly demand that the declared nuclear powers, India, Pakistan, and other nations seeking nuclear capabilities do the following:
1. Immediately stop all nuclear testing, including subcritical nuclear testing, and immediately stop the research for development and possession of nuclear weapons.
2. Immediately start taking actions for the conclusion of an international convention for nuclear abolition within a time-bound framework.
3. Take initiatives in abandoning their own nuclear weapons, and lead the public opinion for the elimination of nuclear weapons.
We strongly demand that the Japanese government:
1. Immediately withdraw from the US "nuclear umbrella," and declare the denuclearization of Japan. Make the Three Nuclear-free Principles into law.
2. Request the US, Russia, Britain, France and China to take the lead in renouncing their nuclear weapons.
3. Make all possible efforts for an early conclusion of an international nuclear abolition convention.
4. Make all possible efforts to fully inform the world of the damage caused by the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
5. Recognize its responsibility for starting the war, which invited the dropping of the atomic bombs, and provide state compensation to the damages caused by atomic bombing.
The 43rd Annual General Assembly
The Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations