On the eve of the Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan, mayors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima cities have issued statements strongly opposing the nuclear deal that Japan and India are reportedly going to finalise.
Letter from Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui
7 November 2016
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui
Demand for suspension of negotiations toward a nuclear agreement with India
On the occasion of the bilateral summit scheduled for mid-November, the media has reported that there is movement toward signing the nuclear agreement between our nation and India.
Yet, starting with Hibakusha (atomic-bomb survivors) of Hiroshima, this agreement is in opposition to the desires of many of our citizens who are concerned that it would further impede nuclear weapons abolition. Further, it raises serious concerns about nuclear materials and nuclear-related technology and equipment being diverted toward nuclear weapons development.
Rather than hollowing out the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, at this time the Japanese government should serve as a bridge between Nuclear Weapons States and Non-Nuclear Weapons States, and work toward strengthening the NPT system. That is, our nation should urge India to ratify the Non-Proliferation Treaty rapidly, to ensure that this agreement does not foster further development of nuclear weapons.
We strongly urge the Japanese government to recall the requests repeatedly submitted by the people of Hiroshima to stop negotiations on this agreement and sincerely accept their concerns.
Translation by Citizens Nuclear Information Center,
Tokyo, Japan
Letter from Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue
7 November 2016
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida
Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue
Demand for immediate suspension of negotiations toward a nuclear agreement with India
On the occasion of the bilateral summit scheduled for mid-November, the media has reported that there is movement toward signing the nuclear agreement between our nation and India.
Even if both nations express their intent to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, concluding a nuclear cooperation agreement with India, a nation that possesses nuclear weapons and that has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), raises concerns about nuclear materials and nuclear-related technology and equipment being diverted toward nuclear weapons development.
Further, as a non-nuclear weapons state our nation should call for the rapid and unconditional ratification of the NPT by all non-party nations in order to pursue the continuation and strengthening of the NPT regime.
Yet, if we sign this agreement, we ourselves would contribute to hollowing out the NPT regime.
Continuing from the Japanese government’s actions in opposing the resolution to begin negotiations on a Treaty to Ban Nuclear Weapons at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on October 27, this action amounts to Japan turning its back on the Hibakusha who wait for the realization of a “World Without Nuclear Weapons.” In Nagasaki, a city which experienced nuclear bombs firsthand, we can never shut our eyes to this.
Now, once more, we strongly urge the Japanese government to sincerely accept the requests for swift abolition of nuclear weapons from the Hibakusha of Nagasaki, and cease negotiations to conclude this agreement.
We strongly urge the Japanese government to recall the requests repeatedly submitted by the people of Hiroshima to stop negotiations on this agreement and sincerely accept their concerns.
Demand for suspension of negotiations toward a nuclear agreement with India
On the occasion of the bilateral summit scheduled for mid-November, the media has reported that there is movement toward signing the nuclear agreement between our nation and India.
Yet, starting with Hibakusha (atomic-bomb survivors) of Hiroshima, this agreement is in opposition to the desires of many of our citizens who are concerned that it would further impede nuclear weapons abolition. Further, it raises serious concerns about nuclear materials and nuclear-related technology and equipment being diverted toward nuclear weapons development.
Rather than hollowing out the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, at this time the Japanese government should serve as a bridge between Nuclear Weapons States and Non-Nuclear Weapons States, and work toward strengthening the NPT system. That is, our nation should urge India to ratify the Non-Proliferation Treaty rapidly, to ensure that this agreement does not foster further development of nuclear weapons.
We strongly urge the Japanese government to recall the requests repeatedly submitted by the people of Hiroshima to stop negotiations on this agreement and sincerely accept their concerns.
Translation by Citizens Nuclear Information Center,
Tokyo, Japan
