Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo)
October 2000
 

     We welcome world opinion in favor of abolition of nuclear weapons rapidly growing in recent years.  This shows that the call for "No More Hiroshimas" that the Hibakusha (A-bomb sufferers of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) have made for over half a century has become a shared slogan of the peoples of the world.

     In the U.N. General Assembly held last December, a resolution calling for steady progress toward the elimination of nuclear weapons was proposed by 57 countries headed by the New Agenda Coalition.  It was adopted by overwhelming majority votes of 111 nations, while only 13 countries voted against it.  In the NPT Review Conference this past May, nuclear weapons states agreed to make unequivocal undertaking to accomplish the abolition of nuclear weapons.

     We pay our heartfelt respect to the governments concerned and NGOs that have worked hard to achieve this result.  We hope that more governments will join the current in this Millennium Assembly.

     As the witnesses of Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivors and nuclear test victims show, nuclear weapons are most inhumane and cruel.  They are weapons of annihilation for the entire humanity, and must not coexist with humans even for a moment.

     Since 1945, humankind has been exposed to the danger of extinction by nuclear weapons.  The entire humanity, each and every one of human beings, has been threatened by the sword of Damocles and made accustomed to that fear.

     Now that the 20th century is coming to an end, we have to root out the very cause of the fear and threat.  That is, nuclear weapons must be swept away from the earth.

     In order to ensure the survival of humanity in the 21st century, nuclear weapons must be abolished urgently.

     The first step to be taken to achieve the goal is for nuclear weapons states to implement their commitments made in the NPT Review Conference in May.  The United States government is most responsible because it is the country that first developed nuclear weapons, used them for actual fighting and triggered nuclear arms race.  Moreover, the U.S. continues to carry out subcritical nuclear tests and is trying to develop new nuclear weapons.  Russia is also following suit.

     We severely condemn the Japanese government for turning its back on the desire of the Hibakusha and the peoples of the world and supporting the nuclear policy of the U.S. government.

     We urge the nuclear weapons states to take a concrete step forward for the implementation of their "unequivocal undertaking" in the ongoing U.N. General Assembly.  We also urge the Japanese government to persuade the U.S. to do so.

     We expect the U.N. Millennium Assembly to gain further strides in opening up perspectives for the abolition of nuclear weapons, so that the work for conclusion of an international treaty totally banning and eliminating nuclear weapons will be started without delay.  We request all the governments of the world to make effort for this direction.