HIROSHIMA -- Seven organizations in Hiroshima Prefecture for hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivors, held a joint press conference at Hiroshima City Hall on Oct. 17 and issued a statement vowing to "continue advocating for peace."

In the statement issued by the A-bomb survivors' groups, they declared, "As we approach the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings, we renew our commitment to continue advocating for peace as long as we are alive." The press conference was held in response to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) being awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.

Toshiyuki Mimaki, the 82-year-old co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo and chairman of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima-ken Hidankyo), one of the seven local groups, said during the news conference, "Receiving this award is not the goal, but the starting point. We will advocate for nuclear abolition for the rest of our lives."

The statement criticized Japan's absence from the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), adopted by the United Nations in 2017, alongside nuclear-armed countries despite Japan being the "only country to have experienced atomic bombings during wartime." It also addressed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's mention of "sharing nuclear weapons" with the United States, emphasizing, "If Japan does not strengthen its diplomatic efforts for peace, join the treaty and take on a role in guiding the nuclear powers, it will betray international honor and expectations."

During the press conference, Kunihiko Sakuma, 79, the chairman of a separate A-bomb survivors' organization also named Hiroshima-ken Hidankyo, cited lawsuits seeking relief for "black rain" victims, or those exposed to the radioactive fallout after the bombings, and A-bomb survivors living outside Japan. He stated, "The hibakusha movement also represents a history of rights movements. I wished that this aspect had also been mentioned as part of the reasons for (Nihon Hidankyo) being awarded."

The seven organizations are collecting signatures to urge the Japanese government to ratify the TPNW, and ask for the treaty's ratification when meeting with the prime minister every year on Hiroshima's "Atomic Bomb Day," Aug. 6.

(Japanese original by Deockwoo An, Hiroshima Bureau)