CND Campaigns Director Sara Medi Jones interviews Nihon Hidankyo, winners of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
As campaigners working towards a world without nuclear weapons, there is nothing more sobering than hearing from our friends, the Hibakusha (officially known as Nihon Hidankyo), the Japanese atomic bomb survivors’ group, about their experiences. Children when the bombs hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they have dedicated their lives trying to ensure no one else has to go through the same suffering.
CND was therefore delighted to send its warmest congratulations to Nihon Hidankyo on winning the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. These incredible people have created a powerful global movement for nuclear disarmament from the most distressing personal experiences imaginable.
CND hosted members of the Hibakusha last year, arranging a public event in London alongside Peace Boat, to hear Toshiko Tanaka and Ogawa Tadayoshi share their stories and reflections (picture below of both with CND Chair Tom Unterrainer). I caught up with both again to congratulate them on the Nobel Peace Prize.
Toshiko-san was walking to elementary school when a nuclear bomb hit Hiroshima, causing severe burns across her body. She still has the scars today. Ogawa-san’s family had moved house a week before a nuclear bomb hit Nagasaki. His previous home was destroyed – when the family visited the site they found a relative’s body lying in the spot where they had once lived. The visit also caused the family to suffer radiation poisoning. This was common as the dangers of lingering radiation were never explained. In fact, Toshiko-san told us that many people died from eating contaminated food after the bombing.
At the meeting in London, both spoke of the health issues and stigma faced by the survivors of the bomb. Toshiko-san spoke very movingly of her concerns about whether she would be able to have children.
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to anti-nuclear campaigners comes at a time when the risk of nuclear conflict is perhaps greater than ever before.
Ogawa-san was very surprised but genuinely happy to hear about the Nobel prize, as he “felt it recognised the hard work of Hibakusha in sharing their testimonies at great personal cost. I believe it is crucial that the Hibakusha have received this recognition while some of us are still alive. We must continue to actively share our testimonies and raise awareness about the horrors of nuclear weapons to achieve nuclear abolition and a world free of these devastating arms.”
Tanaka-san was at home in Hiroshima, waiting to go into the hospital for surgery on her leg. “When I heard that Hidankyo had won the prize,” she says, “I momentarily forgot the pain in my leg and jumped for joy. When ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, it raised global awareness of the inhumane realities of nuclear weapons. This time, the award is even more significant because it honours the Hibakusha themselves, who have tirelessly advocated for nuclear abolition and highlighted the damage caused by these weapons. I believe their efforts have contributed to discouraging political leaders from using nuclear weapons.”
Both see great value in Hibakusha continuing their trips across the world to share the dangers of nuclear weapons. Ogawa-san said that when he was in Costa Rica recently, people told him they were proud that Hibakusha have come to their country. He didn’t realise their visit would have such an impact, with people telling him they would never forget what they learned.
“When you say you are from Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” Ogawa-san explained, “people immediately associate it with the atomic bombings and are often surprised to learn that there are still survivors. While people may study the atomic bombings in school, many have told me that hearing directly from someone who lived through it is a deeply valuable and unforgettable experience.”
Tanaka-san agrees, saying “while most people had heard about the atomic bombs, it was often the first time they had learned about the devastating realities of the bombings. Many young people asked what they could do to help prevent the use of nuclear weapons. I hope young people will build close friendships across borders, foster mutual understanding, and create momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons. I hope this award (Nobel prize) will inspire people worldwide to view nuclear disarmament as an urgent, personal responsibility.”
CND campaigns so that there are no more Hiroshimas or Nagasakis. As Toshiko-san told us when she was in London last year, “If we ever use the nuclear bomb again, I believe the whole world will be destroyed.”
