U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday congratulated the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, on being selected the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
In a statement, Biden sent his congratulations “on behalf of the United States,” where many still believe the August 1945 atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary to end World War II.
“We must continue making progress toward the day when we can finally and forever rid the world of nuclear weapons,” Biden stressed.
The statement praised the national group of hibakusha atomic bomb sufferers “for their historic work to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again.”
“This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners embody determination and resilience in the face of tragedy,” Biden said. “For decades, the members of Nihon Hidankyo have served as a human testament to the catastrophic human toll of nuclear weapons, telling a story that humanity needs to hear.”
He criticized Russia, China and North Korea amid increasing concerns about nuclear weapons development and threats involving such weapons.
“Nuclear risks erode the norms and agreements we have worked collectively to put in place and run counter to the vital work of today’s Nobel laureates,” his statement said, expressing his readiness to engage in talks with the three countries without preconditions to reduce the nuclear threat.
Biden referred to his visit to Hiroshima last year for the Group of Seven summit that Japan hosted and a meeting with a hibakusha survivor during his stay there.
“Let us all take inspiration from this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winners and recommit ourselves to the vital work of building a safer world,” the statement said.