Petitions to Call on Japanese Government to Join TPNW Submitted to Foreign Ministry

By Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo), May 17, 2022

Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Gensuikyo) and a wide-range of organizations/individuals submitted to the Foreign Ministry of Japan 960,538 petitions urging the Japanese government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

Various organizations and signature campaign associations of 25 prefectures took part in the joint submission ceremony and handed over their petitions respectively to the Deputy Assistant Minister of Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department, Foreign Ministry.

Prominent initiators of the signature campaign, including Terumi Tanaka, the Hibakusha and representative director of Nihon Hidankyo and Shizuka Wada, free writer, took part in the ceremony and expressed concern about the government’s remarks to promote “nuclear sharing” and “enemy base attack capability”.

Seven parliamentarians participated in the ceremony from the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa-Shinsengumi and Independent groups. They emphasized the importance of Japan joining the TPNW as the A-bombed country for achieving a world without nuclear weapons and peace and security of Japan and Asia. They promised to develop solidarity and joint work with civil society to shift the Japan’s nuclear and security policy.

As of April 22, twenty parliamentarians from the Constitution Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party have signed the petition.