Letter from Nagasaki to All Governments of the World

We send this letter from Nagasaki to the governments of all nations on the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing by the United States military.

The atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima burned the two cities in an instant, and by the end of the year had claimed the lives of about 210,000 people, mostly women, children, the elderly, and other civilians. Those Hibakusha who barely survived the atomic bombings lost their families and loved ones, and have also suffered from the health hazards caused by radiation and social discrimination for many years. Nuclear weapons are inhumane “Satanic weapons.” Nuclear weapons must never be used on any part of the world or for any reason whatsoever. Scientists warn that even the use of a small fraction of the nuclear weapons on earth today would result in worldwide starvation, along with enormous death tolls. Eradicating this threat is an urgent task for human survival, and the only way to achieve it is to abolish nuclear weapons. The U.S., Russia, Britain, France, China, and other nuclear powers bear a heavy responsibility. With Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine and Israel’s escalating attack on Gaza, we are deeply concerned that the real danger of the use of nuclear weapons is being created. The threat of nuclear weapons and the countering of “nuclear deterrence” must cease immediately. “Nuclear deterrence” is none other than threatening other nations with a recurrence of another Hiroshima or Nagasaki. It is an act that poses a risk to the survival of the human race, and is totally incompatible with a humanitarian standpoint. What is needed to break out of this dangerous situation is not an arms race but the reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons. Recalling the statement of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “It’s time to stop the madness. We need disarmament now”, we appeal to all nations to take action now to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons.

We urge that the 12th NPT Review Conference in 2026 will be made one that will start implementing the obligation of Article VI to “pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures” relating to “nuclear disarmament”, as well as the previous agreements, including the undertaking to “accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals” (2000), the establishing of the “framework” to achieve “the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons” (2010). It is also imperative to establish a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction, agreed on by the 1995 NPT Review Conference, as well as to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) into force.

We are encouraged by the growing support for and participation in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and express our respect and solidarity with those countries committed to implementing and universalizing the TPNW. We sincerely welcome the progress made in supporting hibakusha and victims of nuclear testing, and in the work of environmental remediation in contaminated areas. As the civil society of the only A-bombed country, we would like to contribute to this work.

We appeal to all countries that have not signed and ratified the TPNW to support and join this treaty. Above all, we are committed to urging the Japanese government to break away from its dependence on the nuclear umbrella and join the TPNW without delay. It should at least participate in the Third Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW as an observer.

We, civil society, will further develop our collaboration with governments and UN agencies toward the common goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We sincerely hope that you will positively respond to this appeal from the A-bombed city Nagasaki, and take action accordingly.