Nuclear Ban Treaty Concluding National Assembly Active exchange activities in Vienna, A-bomb survivors in Nagasaki

The first Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will be held in Austria from the 21st of this month.

Prior to this, the atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki have embarked on active exchange activities to appeal directly to the participants of each country for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

At the entrance of the venue for events related to the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty held in Vienna, the capital of Austria on the 18th, Mr. Takashi Miyata, a hibakusha of Nagasaki, who is the representative of the atomic bomb survivors at the ceremony on August 9th, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Day ( 82) is embarking on active exchange activities with participants from each country with Mayu Seto, a third-generation hibakusha who has a grandmother who was bombed in Hiroshima.

Mr. Miyata put on a jacket written in English saying, "I am a hibakusha in Nagasaki. Please ask me anything." He reported on his experience of being bombed and appealed for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

On this day, Mr. Miyata had conversations with more than 10 participants from each country one after another in about an hour.

Of these, a British man asked, "What can Britain do to save the A-bomb survivors?" And Mr. Miyata responded, "I want Britain to take the lead in peace activities with Japan."

Mr. Miyata will talk about his experience as a guest at a related event held locally during the conference, but at other times he would like to engage in such exchange activities to boost the momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Mr. Miyata "I want you to talk with the A-bomb survivors."

Takashi Miyata told NHK, "I think it is important for A-bomb survivors to come to such places and talk because it is thought that A-bomb survivors are rare. We, A-bomb survivors, can only talk about a part of the whole. No, but I'm telling the other party to come to Nagasaki / Hiroshima and have a talk with the A-bomb survivors. "

Participants "It is important to listen to the A-bomb survivors"

Among the participants from each country who spoke to Mr. Miyata, a British man said, "Why did the Japanese government and the British government where I live come to listen to him when he actually experienced the atomic bombing? I don't think it's there. In the next few decades, I won't be able to hear the story of the A-bomb survivors. Now, I feel it's very important to hear that story. "

A Norwegian man said, "I was surprised to see that it was my first time talking to a hibakusha and I could ask any questions on his clothes, but I am grateful for taking the time to us. The story is very exciting and very helpful in tackling issues such as the abolition of nuclear weapons. "