Japanese Atomic Bomb Victim: "G7 Hiroshima Vision Lacks Effectiveness, Completely Fails"

Regarding the 'Hiroshima Vision' on G7 Nuclear Disarmament
Atomic Bomb Victims' Group Questions, "Is It Right to Only Condemn China and Russia Among Nuclear Powers?"

As the Group of Seven (G7) summit was held in Hiroshima, Japan, the site of the atomic bombing, a series of messages promoting global peace, including nuclear disarmament and sanctions against Russia, were announced. While the meeting was treated as a symbol of peace both inside and outside Japan, the actual atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima sharply criticized the G7 summit as a "complete failure," sparking controversy.

The statement lacked practical effectiveness to actually lead to nuclear disarmament, and with Japan itself calling for strengthening its defense capabilities, critics argue that advocating for a "world without nuclear weapons" while only condemning Russia and China's nuclear buildup is illogical.

According to the local Hiroshima newspaper Chugoku Shimbun on the 22nd, atomic bomb survivors held consecutive press conferences the previous day to criticize the G7. Setsuko Thurlow, an atomic bomb survivor and nuclear disarmament activist, held a press conference in Hiroshima city and stated, "I think this (G7) was a failure."

Setsuko Serow held a press conference on the 21st, stating, "The G7 meeting was a tremendous failure." (Photo by TV Asahi)

She particularly pointed out the "Hiroshima Vision" on nuclear disarmament announced by the G7, saying, "It is unacceptable in Hiroshima, the site of the bombing, to positively acknowledge one's own nuclear weapons while only criticizing the nuclear weapons of opposing countries." This implies that it is contradictory for Japan, which calls for strengthening its defense and relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella, to only criticize Russia or China, which have mentioned the possibility of nuclear use.

The "Council of Atomic Bomb Survivors' Organizations," a group of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, also held an online press conference that afternoon and sharply criticized the G7, saying, "The G7 was a meeting that encouraged war under the nuclear umbrella." Terumi Tanaka, the representative, said, "Survivors have appealed that nuclear weapons and humanity cannot coexist and have urged for nuclear disarmament as soon as possible. However, in the end, it is regrettable that no change was brought about, as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime is still emphasized."

Sueichi Kido, the secretary-general, also stated, "We have urged that nuclear disarmament be placed at the forefront of discussions, but in the end, the meeting relied on nuclear deterrence, which makes us angry."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since the G7 includes nuclear-armed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, and the other member countries are under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, there were also criticisms that the summit effectively justified nuclear deterrence. Toshiyuki Mimaki, director of the Hiroshima Prefectural Atomic Bomb Survivors Association, raised his voice at the press conference, saying, "The Hiroshima Vision felt like it justified nuclear deterrence. Does it mean that countries other than Russia can use or possess nuclear weapons without issue?"

Earlier, on the first day of the G7 meeting on the 19th, the group issued a separate statement on nuclear disarmament for the first time, saying, "A world without nuclear weapons cannot be achieved without nuclear non-proliferation." They also urged North Korea to refrain from nuclear tests and expressed concern over Russia's nuclear threats against Ukraine and China's nuclear buildup.