People in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the two Japanese cities devastated by U.S. atomic bombings in the closing days of World War II, reiterated their call for peace Saturday, a day after Nihon Hidankyo, a group of hibakusha atomic bomb survivors, was named this year’s recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
A 63-year-old man who was visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park praised the hibakusha group, saying, “I bow to the hard work of continuing activities since the years immediately after the end of World War II.” He added, “I hope that Hiroshima will be able to convey to the world its wish for eliminating nuclear weapons and war.”
Kenta Miyazaki, a 24-year-old professional cyclist from Hiroshima’s Higashi Ward, said: “In Hiroshima, the Group of Seven summit was just held in May last year. I hope the winning (of the Nobel Peace Prize) will make Hiroshima more widely recognized as a symbol of peace.”
A 70-year-old woman from the city’s Naka Ward said that Nihon Hidankyo was named the winner “because threats of using nuclear weapons are increasing now.”
“I’m really glad that Nihon Hidankyo was named the winner,” said Kazuhiro Saito, a 69-year-old from Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, who visited the peace park in Nagasaki. “It’d be best if nuclear weapons disappeared, but it has been difficult to do so due to the circumstances of countries. I hope the prize will be an opportunity” to abolish such weapons, he said.
A 62-year-old from Nagasaki said: “There are situations around the world where leaders threaten to use nuclear weapons. It’s really significant (for Nihon Hidankyo) to be named the winner to prevent nuclear weapons from being used at all costs.”