Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivor Group to Receive the Nobel Peace Prize  October 25, 2024

On October 11, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced they would award the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, which translates as “The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations.” The Nobel Committee said in their statement: “This grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as Hibakusha, is receiving the Peace Prize for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again. …The Hibakusha help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable, and to somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons.” 

The Peace Prize will be presented on December 10 in Oslo, and IPPNW Norway, the Norwegian branch of International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and the Norwegian “No to Nukes” are planning for civil society events during “Nobel Week” in Oslo.

Formed in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo represents Hibakusha in all of Japan’s prefectures, and is the largest Hibakusha organisation in Japan. Like PSR, Hidankyo is a Partner Organization in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons — and Hidankyo leaders have already seized the opportunity to demand nuclear abolition. “We’ve led the activism because we were atomic bombing victims, but I must say all of you are the future Hibakusha candidates. So you should fully understand what it means to be Hibakusha,” said Terumi Tanaka, 91, a co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, at a press conference the day after the announcement.

Another co-chair, Toshiyuki Mimaki, who was three years old when the bomb struck Hiroshima, said, “The idea that the world is safe because there are nuclear weapons — we are absolutely opposed to this. [The award] will be a great force to appeal to the world that the abolition of nuclear weapons and everlasting peace can be achieved. Nuclear weapons should absolutely be abolished.” 

Joergen Watne Frydnes, Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, echoed these sentiments in an interview aired on DW News: “It is alarming to see that the nuclear taboo — the norm against the use of these weapons — is being challenged. And therefore we want to highlight the importance of upholding this norm so that we do not end up in a situation where these weapons are used ever again.”

The ICAN listservs and social media channels lit up as congratulations flooded in from all over the world.  Here is a sampling: 

From PSR: 

“The Nihon Hidankyo organization has helped the world in so many ways in telling the stories not only of the horrors of nuclear weapons but also of the shame on those countries that develop and possess these weapons.” – Todd Sack, MD, FACP, PSR Board President

“Thank you for your steadfast work to bring awareness to the horrors of nuclear weapons and the need to abolish them!” – Bob Dodge, MD, PSR-LA President, PSR/National Board member and co-chair, PSR Committee to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

“We are proud of the Nobel Committee for rightfully honoring Nihon Hidankyo; our treasured Hibakusha are a precious resource and legacy of the catastrophic effects of nuclear weapons. May their voices be eternal in a reminder of the horrific and abhorrent consequences of these weapons that should not exist.” – Tova Fuller, MD, PhD, Board Vice-President, San Francisco Bay PSR; PSR/National Board member; Chair, PSR Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program Committee; Co-chair, PSR Committee to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

From International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Nobel Peace Prize, 1985), co-President Carlos Umana, MD (on DW News):

“They have given a human face to the suffering. They have relived the horrors time and time again by retelling their story in the hopes that no one else will. The adoption and the further entry into force of the treaty would not have been possible without the awareness that was created by the tireless effort of these people.  So their presence has not only been an inspiration but also a reference to our movement, and their impact has been monumental. Putting the focus right now on this fight — on these people — is actually very important and incredibly relevant to what’s going on in the world.”

From International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Nobel Peace Prize, 2017), Executive Director Melissa Parke 

“We congratulate Nihon Hidankyo. It is extremely important that the Hibakusha — the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — have been recognised for their lifelong work to bring the world’s attention to what nuclear weapons actually do to people when they are used. It is particularly significant that this award comes at this time when the risk that nuclear weapons will be used again is as high, if not higher, as it has ever been. … We call on the nuclear-armed states and their allies which support the use of nuclear weapons, including of course Japan, to heed their call to abolish these inhumane weapons to make sure what they have been through never happens again.”

Former ICAN Executive Director Beatrice Fihn (on X, formerly Twitter):

“We still have some survivors with us, with first hand experience of what these horrific, inhumane and illegal weapons do. We owe it to them to act now!”

On Oct 13th the White House released a congratulatory statement from President Biden:

“As I was powerfully reminded last year when I visited Hiroshima and met with a survivor of the bombing, we must continue making progress toward the day when we can finally and forever rid the world of nuclear weapons. The United States stands ready to engage in talks with Russia, China, and North Korea without preconditions to reduce the nuclear threat.”

From the Nihon Hidankyo website

“Nihon Hidankyo has two main objectives. The first is to promote the social and economic rights of all Hibakusha, including those living outside Japan. The second is to ensure that no one ever again is subjected to the catastrophe that befell the Hibakusha.”

Click here for the Norwegian Nobel Committee Oct 11 press release.

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