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70% of Surveyed Hibakusha See Lack of Progress on Ending Nukes; Reasons Include Growing Threats, International Situation

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
From left, European Council President Charles Michel, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a group photo at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Friday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:38 JST, July 26, 2024

About 70% of hibakusha respondents feel the world has been moving further away from eradicating nuclear weapons since the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima in May 2023, according to a survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others.

As their reasons for feeling that way, many respondents cited the growth of nuclear threats.

Hibakusha were also increasingly concerned about the current international situation.

The survey, which was timed to precede the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was conducted on 100 hibakusha across the nation face-to-face or by phone between May and July by The Yomiuri Shimbun, the Center for Peace of Hiroshima University and Hiroshima Television Corp.

Given Russia’s prolonged aggression against Ukraine and the increasingly intense violence in Gaza, 71 respondents said that the world has been moving further away from eradicating nuclear weapons since the summit.

Asked why, with multiple answers allowed, 56 respondents, the largest proportion, replied, “Nuclear threats are growing,” while 30 said, “Dependence on nuclear deterrence is becoming stronger,” and 29 said, “No one seems to be taking any concrete action on the issue.”

Only eight said that the world has been getting closer to eradicating nuclear weapons.

Asked if they think that interest is growing in places that have suffered atomic bombings and the damage atomic bombings have caused, 73 respondents said they felt so.

Asked about reasons for the increasing interest, with multiple answers allowed, 43 said, “The threat of nuclear weapon use is increasing,” and 42 said, “The summit helped draw attention of the world to places that have suffered atomic bombings.”