Three survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Japan accepted the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the organization Nihon Hidankyo, which works against nuclear weapons. The 92-year-old survivor, Terumi Tanaka, who lived through the Nagasaki bombing, stressed the need for abolishing all nuclear weapons to prevent catastrophic damage. He highlighted the increasing threat posed by the thousands of warheads that exist today, urging global cooperation to create a society free of nuclear weapons and war.
The prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of Japanese atomic bombing survivors advocating against the use of nuclear weapons, which have become more powerful and numerous since the bombings in 1945. Tanaka expressed concern that the taboo against nuclear weapons is weakening, citing recent threats from countries like Russia and Israel. The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the importance of learning from the survivors as the nuclear threat continues to grow worldwide.
Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the committee chair, emphasized the lack of progress towards nuclear disarmament among the nine countries possessing nuclear weapons, urging them to fulfill their obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The committee called for action to strengthen arms control and prevent the further modernization of nuclear arsenals. The survivors’ message of peace and the consequences of nuclear weapons serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for global cooperation to prevent nuclear catastrophe.
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Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nihon Hidankyo urges for the elimination of nuclear weapons
