A-bomb survivors' no-nuclear goal faces challenges amid deterrence
NAGASAKI (Kyodo) -- Survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been campaigning for a nuclear-free worl
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 have led to a group of survivors campaigning for a world free of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed Japan's commitment to its long-standing nonnuclear principles, but this stance is facing challenges as support grows for nuclear deterrence. The three principles - prohibiting the possession, production, or introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan - were established in 1967 but are now being reconsidered.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called for a debate on nuclear weapons, citing examples of countries strengthening nuclear deterrence. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki warned that reliance on nuclear deterrence increases the risk of nuclear war. Despite these calls for reconsideration, the government is reportedly weighing the possibility of rethinking the three principles.
Some argue that Japan should join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, but concerns about the treaty conflicting with its reliance on US nuclear deterrence persist. The dwindling number of A-bomb survivors, known as hibakusha, underscores the importance of their stories in educating younger generations about the dangers of nuclear weapons.
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