- Seventy-nine years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Nihon Hidankyo, an organization advocating for the survivors (hibakusha) and the abolition of nuclear weapons, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
- This recognition highlights the need for continued discourse on nuclear disarmament.
- The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 resulted in 1.5 lakh deaths, with many more suffering from radiation exposure.
- Hidankyo, formed to support the hibakusha (survivors), has consistently advocated for medical aid, welfare benefits, and the abolition of nuclear weapons.
- Hindankyo’s activism has shifted political discourse in Japan towards pacifism, which is reflected in Japan’s post-war constitution.
- Despite such activism, nuclear states continue to maintain and deploy weapons, with examples like Russia’s threats in the Ukraine conflict and Israel’s covert nuclear arsenal contributing to regional instability.
- Nuclear non-proliferation mechanisms are undermined by geopolitics, and serious disarmament efforts remain lacking.
Dig Deeper: Read about the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty.
