The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded this year’s Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese anti-nuclear-weapons organisation, citing the increasing risk of nuclear weapons being used in current global conflicts.
Nihon Hidankyo, which represents survivors of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was recognised for its ongoing efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear arms.
The committee praised the organization’s testimony, which underscores the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons and the need to prevent their use in future conflicts.
The Nobel Committee expressed deep concern over the modernisation of nuclear arsenals and the rising threats of their use in contemporary warfare, highlighting recent developments in global tensions.
Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict, and warnings from President Vladimir Putin about potentially updating Russia’s nuclear doctrine, have raised alarms about the possibility of nuclear escalation.
The Committee emphasised the critical importance of Nihon Hidankyo’s message as world powers, including the US, France, and the UK, continue to maintain and upgrade their nuclear capabilities.
Where’s the consolation for the victims of Japanese imperialism? The Koreans before and during WWII, the Chinese who suffered horrific abuse and the allied prisoners of war?
Exactly what I was thinking when I read the article: You beat me to the punch. 17 million Chinese were murdered in (and before) WW2 by the Japanese. The Japanese only stopped after the second nuclear bombing, and only then because the emperor told them to surrender. It was only in the 7-year occupation of Japan, from 1945 to 1952 when the US changed a lot of Japanese laws (laws that allowed militaristic and brutal behavior) into a more democratic system did things really change.
My take is that I do not like nuclear weapons: They are nasty. However, the real question is why is humanity so f*cking belligerent that nuclear weapons seem to be the only way of stopping bad behavior sometimes? If it was not for the use of the nuclear weapons in August 1945, the Japanese would have fought to the last man, woman and child: In other words, there may not have been any Japanese people left nowadays, and allied war casualties would have been a lot higher.