Thursday, August 6, 2009

The Prime Minister Attends the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony

Prime Minister Taro Aso attended the annual Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony held in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City.

Approximately 50,000 people including atomic bomb victims and bereaved family members, as well as representatives of 59 nations -- the largest number of nations ever -- attended the ceremony marking the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombing, praying for the repose of the souls of the war dead and for world peace. Mr. Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima City, and the representatives of the bereaved family members added the names of people recognized as atomic bomb victims in the past year to the cenotaph and, furthermore, Prime Minister Aso and other participants led by the representatives of the bereaved family members and the atomic bomb victims offered flowers. Afterwards, the Peace Bell was rung at 8:15 a.m., when the atomic bomb was dropped, and all the participants offered a minute of silent prayer.

In the Peace Declaration, Mayor Akiba urged the importance of abolishing nuclear weapons. He said, "We pledge to strive with all our strength for a world free from nuclear weapons. Together, we can abolish nuclear weapons. Yes, we can."

Following the recital of the Promise for Peace by the local elementary school students Mr. Tetsuya Yano and Ms. Yuki Toyama, who represented children, Prime Minister Aso delivered an address.

Prime Minister Aso expressed his sympathy for the victims and reiterated his determination to realize a world free from nuclear weapons. He said, "Japan is the only country to know the devastation actually wrought by atomic bombs. We must make every possible effort to achieve international peace so that the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is never repeated. I renew the pledge that Japan shall firmly maintain the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and lead the international community towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons and the realisation of eternal peace." The Prime Minister also said, "For those suffering from the consequences of the bomb, the government has been providing comprehensive support measures covering the areas of health and medical care as well as welfare. We will continue to work hard to support as many of the sufferers as possible."

After the ceremony, Prime Minister Aso and Mr. Yoichi Masuzoe, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare signed the Confirmation Note Concerning the Basic Policy on Concluding the Collective Lawsuit for the Recognition of A-bomb Diseases at a hotel in Hiroshima City. The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Sunao Tsuboi and Mr. Terumi Tanaka, Chairperson and Secretary General, respectively, of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo).

Afterwards, Prime Minister Aso attended the Meeting to Listen to Requests by Representatives of Atomic Bomb Victims, and had talks with the representatives from seven groups of atomic bomb victims and others. At the press conference that followed, the Prime Minister said, "Considering the advanced age of the plaintiffs, and the long years in which that they were involved in the lawsuit, we have decided upon a new policy to give them early relief, respecting the judicial ruling."

After leaving the hotel, Prime Minister Aso visited a nursing home for atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima, Funairi Mutsumi-en, to give words of encouragement to the people there.

Related Link

• Address by Prime Minister Taro Aso at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony (August 6, 2009)