The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, also known as Nobel Peace Prize“>Nihon Hidankyo
, was recently awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. In response to this news, survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have expressed their commitment to working towards a world without nuclear weapons.In Hiroshima, Kunihiko Sakuma, the head of a Hidankyo group for Hiroshima Prefecture, visited the Peace Memorial Park with nine others to share the announcement with victims of the 1945 atomic bombing. Sakuma himself was only nine months old at the time of the bombing and was just three kilometers away from ground zero. He spoke about his experiences after retiring.
At around 8 a.m., Sakuma and his companions lined up in front of the park’s cenotaph. He stated that they had come to share their joy with all those who lost their lives in the atomic bombing and that they would return when nuclear weapons were abolished. They observed a moment of silence together, some shedding tears.
Sakuma mentioned that Friday’s announcement had given him renewed encouragement to continue his work despite the declining number of atomic bomb survivors. He referred to Sunao Tsuboi, an advocate for antinuclear campaigns until his death at age 96 in 2021, who often used the phrase “never giving up.” Sakuma emphasized their determination to achieve a world free from nuclear weapons as desired by Tsuboi-san and other survivors.
Mitsue Furuta, deputy secretary general of Hidankyo’s prefectural group in Hiroshima who lost her father in the bombing, expressed concerns about ongoing conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Middle East where nuclear weapons might be used. She vowed to keep pressing for Japan’s signature on The Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Denise Jean-Louis from France visited Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park on Saturday morning and recognized Nihon Hidankyo’s Nobel Peace Prize win as significant not only for Japan but also for global peace amidst ongoing wars worldwide.
In Nagasaki too, visitors gathered at Peace Park’s statue to pray for atomic bomb victims. Hajime Ohara from Fukushima Prefecture felt compelled to visit after learning about Nihon Hidankyo winning Nobel Peace Prize on TV yesterday morning. Alex Traven from United States believed that people tend to forget war horrors as tensions rise globally; hence he considered Nihon Hidankyo deserving winners.
Yasujiro Tanaka an A-bomb survivor came forward as a guide at Nagasaki’s park expressing pride over receiving this prestigious award while remembering leaders who spearheaded activities towards peace efforts.