Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivor Group Calls for More Testimony, Urges Govt to Join Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) holds a meeting in Tokyo on Thursday.

The Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations), which won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, adopted an appeal calling for the expansion of testimonies by A-bomb survivors and action to urge the Japanese government to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, at a meeting held in Tokyo on Thursday.

The meeting began on Wednesday, attended by representatives from all prefectures and adjourned on Thursday.

About 70 representatives participated in the meeting. They expressed concerns about the sustainability of their activities, reflecting the aging and dwindling numbers of A-bomb survivors.

A member from Kanagawa Prefecture said, “We expect a reduction in activities and the closure of the office in the near future.”

A member from Oita said, “We have only one survivor left who can give testimony.”