In June 2022, Mayors for Peace dispatched a delegation including President Kazumi Matsui (Mayor of Hiroshima), Vice President Tomihisa Taue (Mayor of Nagasaki) and Secretary General Takashi Koizumi (Chairperson of this Foundation), to attend the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and the 2022 Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons held in Vienna, Austria.
The delegation expressed their grave concern about nuclear weapons, which cause inhumane consequences, and urged UN and national government officials to take action to advance discussions toward nuclear abolition.
In addition, a joint side event between the Mayors for Peace and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), as well as the Mayors for Peace A-bomb Poster Exhibition, were held to build momentum for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.
Impressions from Attending the First Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW
Hiroshima Mayor
Kazumi Matsui
At the First Meeting, the inhumanity of nuclear weapons was reaffirmed, and the Vienna Declaration, the final document that denounces security reliance on nuclear weapons and includes measures to achieve the content of the Treaty, such as promoting participation in the Treaty and assisting nuclear victims, was adopted, along with the Vienna Action Plan, which stipulates specific procedures and actions.
In particular, it was emphasized that the TPNW is not in conflict with existing treaties such as the NPT, but is complementary to them.
In view of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and the uncertainty of nuclear arsenal management, I felt once again that nuclear weapons are an 'absolute evil' that can cause enormous damage but never benefit anyone, and that the only way to prevent future damage from nuclear weapons is to abolish them.
We must promote security for both people and nations and encourage steady efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons by creating an environment that ensures that nuclear weapon states are committed to nuclear disarmament.
To do so, it is necessary to first increase the number of non-nuclear weapon states that ratify the TPNW.
This will help to create an environment that will change the current regime that allows nuclear powers to exercise influence over other countries by using nuclear weapons.
In addition, as such an environment is created, the influence of nuclear weapons will decline, despite the risks that arise from their possession, and eventually the enormous cost burden of maintaining and managing nuclear weapons will no longer be commensurate with their influence.
This will provide an incentive for nuclear weapon states to engage in nuclear disarmament.
Based on this concept, in order to foster public opinion in civil society toward the dissemination and effectiveness of the TPNW, Mayors for Peace, in cooperation with the UN, NGOs and other organizations, as well as the countries promoting the Treaty, will further focus on the theme of 'Promote a culture of peace', as stated in the Vision for Peaceful Transformation to a Sustainable World (PX Vision) that was formulated last July in cooperation with member cities.
June 20 (Mon)
Observation of the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons
Following the opening remarks by Mr. Alexander Schallenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria, the host country, and Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, the third-generation Nagasaki hibakusha and co-chair of the voluntary organization KNOW NUKES TOKYO, Ms. Suzuka Nakamura, wearing the kimono and sash of Ms. Tomiko Fukushima, a Nagasaki hibakusha, took to the podium to speak on the "Testimonials of Survivors of Nuclear Weapons Use and Testing".
She stated, "It is up to us, the younger generation, to carry on the wishes of the hibakusha and to prevent repetition of the same mistakes in the future." Sueichi Kido, secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations, spoke about the damage caused by the atomic bombings and the lifelong anxiety and suffering of the hibakusha, and stated that the TPNW is precisely the wish of the hibakusha.
Meeting with the Deputy Director General of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
President Matsui expressed his gratitude to Thailand for sponsoring the exhibition of A-bomb posters of the Mayors for Peace in the venue of the TPNW First Meeting of States Parties, and asked for cooperation in expanding the number of member cities of the Mayors for Peace in order to foster public opinion toward increasing the number of states parties of the TPNW.
Deputy Director Ek-on Khunacharoen recognized that is one of the key issues and said that she is pleased to work with civil society, including the Mayors for Peace.
Meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO
Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), stated that 172 states have ratified the CTBT, although it has not yet entered into force, and that since the treaty was first signed in 1996, the total number of nuclear tests has fallen dramatically from over 2,000 to less than 12, providing peace and security for all countries.
President Matsui stated that in order to make the TPNW effective by expanding the number of states parties, as in the case of the CTBT, he would like to work with the member cities of the Mayors for Peace to spread awareness of the inhumane consequences that result from the use of nuclear weapons.
June 21 (Tues)
Meeting with the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations and handover of signatures
Ms. Nakamitsu (right) receiving the catalog of signatures
Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu noted that, despite the difficult international situation, the number of attendees, including observers, at the First Meeting of States Parties was more than double the expected number.
She said that she hopes to take advantage of these various driving forces for the abolition of nuclear weapons, which is a major issue for the United Nations.
President Matsui stated that by expanding the number of countries ratifying the TPNW, he hopes to spread awareness of the inhumanity of the use of nuclear weapons and the uncertainty of their management, and to motivate the nuclear weapon states to disarm their nuclear arsenals.
He also handed over a catalog of approximately 290,000 signatures calling for all states to join the TPNW at the earliest date.
Joint side event held by Mayors for Peace and ICAN
Presenters answering questions from participants
A joint side event with ICAN titled 'Voices of Civil Society for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World' drew a packed audience of over 100 people.
With Secretary-General Koizumi as MC, first there were opening remarks by President Matsui.
Next, Mr. Yoshiaki Fukahori, Chairperson of Nagasaki City Council, called for Nagasaki to be the last A-bombed city as a message from the
hibakusha, while Mr. Masashi Ieshima, Chairman of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, shared his own experience and spoke of the horrors of radiation damage.
As representatives of the Mayors for Peace, City Councilor Edward Newman of Manchester, England, a member of the Executive Committee, gave an overview of Mayors for Peace and local governments efforts to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons.
This was followed by Ms. Maya Thompson from ICAN Norway and Ms. Nakamura from KNOW NUKES TOKYO, who presented their thoughts and efforts toward nuclear weapons abolition as representatives of youth working for nuclear abolition.
Meeting with ICAN Executive Director
President Matsui conveyed his appreciation for the joint side event and expressed his desire to work together to promote and ensure the effectiveness of the TPNW.
Ms. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of ICAN, spoke of the 'voices of civil society', the title of the event, as an example of how citizens' voices in Norway led their governments to participate in the First Meeting as observer, and said that she recognized that it could motivate new movements.
She said that she would like to think of an initiative that can be implemented in cooperation with the Mayors for Peace, such as the ICAN Cities Appeal, in which local governments call on their own national governments to sign the TPNW.
Speech at the General Debate of the TPNW First Meeting of States Parties
Speech by President Matsui
President Matsui, together with Vice President Taue, speaking on behalf of Mayors for Peace, pointed out that the methods used to resolve the situation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine must not nullify the efforts that humanity has made.
In order to make the TPNW effective, he stressed the urgent need for the United Nations, national governments and civil society to work together, to increase the number of states parties, especially non-nuclear weapon states, that ratify the treaty, and to make the nuclear weapon states more aware of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and the uncertainty of nuclear arsenal management.
He also explained the efforts of Mayors for Peace and the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and expressed hope for the G7 Summit to be held in Hiroshima in 2023.
He called for the fulfillment of the ambitious goals of the treaty, including the improvement and enrichment of victim assistance provision.
Mayors for Peace Executive Cities’ Meeting for Exchange of Views and European Chapter Meeting
Executive City Discussion Session
Eleven cities, including the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as European executive cities, gathered for a meeting and engaged in lively discussions.
Mr. Thomas Hermann, Deputy Mayor of Hannover, announced that the number of member cities in Germany is increasing rapidly under the tense situation in Ukraine, and Ms. Alba Barnusell, Mayor of Granollers, Spain, expressed her determination to engage in further activities as the head of the European Chapter.
After exchanging opinions on future initiatives, Vice President Taue stated that he would like to continue the discussion at the General Conference of Mayors for Peace to be held in Hiroshima this October.
June 22 (Wed)
Meeting with the Head of the Arms and Conduct of Hostilities Unit of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Unit Head Laurent Gisel stated that the policies of the ICRC and Mayor for Peace are in line regarding the abolition of nuclear weapons, and that they would like to pursue together the roles of the younger generations in the need for sustainable efforts in the face of the growing risk of nuclear weapons being used.
President Matsui explained initiative: Children's Art Competition "Peaceful Towns", in which children in member cities are encouraged to draw pictures while thinking about peace.
He asked Mr. Gisel to help in efforts to spread a culture of peace, especially among the younger generation.
Meeting with a member of the Australian Parliament (House of Representatives)
When asked by President Matsui why she decided to participate as an observer despite Australia being under the nuclear umbrella, Parliament Member Susan Templeman prefaced her remarks by saying that Australia was not considering signing or ratifying the TPNW, and that although she shared concerns about nuclear weapons with the Parties, she was not speaking at the meeting, but was participating to bring back information gained from this Meeting for the consideration of future correspondence.
June 23 (Thurs)
Meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the International Organizations in Vienna
President Matsui requested that Mexico, at the national level, make use of its experience in achieving the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, the world's first nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty, and work to expand the number of states parties to the TPNW, making reference to the CTBT.
Ambassador Luis Campuzano recognized that the Treaty will also complement the achievement of the goals of the CTBT, and said that the involvement of civil society, including Mayors for Peace, is important in expanding the number of states parties to the TPNW.
He said that he is aiming for ratification by all countries.
Meeting with the Norwegian Special Envoy for Disarmament Affairs
Meeting with Norwegian Special Envoy (left)
Special Envoy Jo/ rn Osmundsen stated that Norway has been working on nuclear disarmament as a priority area for several decades and aims to achieve a world without nuclear weapons by fulfilling its obligation to negotiate nuclear disarmament in good faith under Article VI of the NPT.
He expressed his view that it is important to ensure the principle of subsidiarity of the TPNW.
He also stated that although it is difficult to sign and ratify the Treaty, it is important to participate in the Meeting of the States Parties and engage in constructive dialogue without antagonism, even if positions are different.
President Matsui conveyed his view that the NPT is the entry point and the TPNW is the end point for a world without nuclear weapons.
He stated that he supports the approach of Norway, which is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and under the nuclear umbrella, but is making effort to functionalize the TPNW.
June 21 (Tues) ― June 23 (Thurs)
At the venue of the TPNW First Meeting of States Parties, an A-bomb poster exhibition was held by Mayors for Peace to help participants deepen their understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings.
(Mayors for Peace Administration Division)
