The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, a movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki collectively known as Hibakusha.
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Nihon Hidankyo officially known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations. It was established in 1956. The group is composed of survivors known as hibakusha from the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The organization’s mission is to share survivor evidence and work towards the complete abolition of nuclear weapons.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded Nihon Hidankyo the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to create a nuclear-free world.
The Committee recognized the group’s role in establishing the nuclear taboo, a global consensus that nuclear weapons should never be used again.
The Committee praised the survivors’ use of their personal stories to bring awareness to the devastation caused by nuclear warfare.
One of the effective tools in Nihon Hidankyo’s arsenal has been the personal testimonies of hibakusha. These survivors, many of whom were only children during the bombings, travel globally to share their first-hand accounts of the devastation.
Toshiyuki Mimaki, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo and a Hiroshima survivor highlighted in previous interviews how the horrors of that day remain vivid in his memory despite being just three years old at the time.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima leading to the death of an estimated 140,000 people by the end of the year.
Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki killing another 74,000 people. The bombings led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II and also left physical and psychological scars on survivors.
As of today, the total number of officially recognized deaths from the effects of the bombings stands at over 344,000 in Hiroshima and 198,000 in Nagasaki.
Nihon Hidankyo was founded in 1956 by survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and victims of nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.
The organization aimed to unite the voices of survivors to promote peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons. The movement arose in response to the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which killed an estimated 120,000 people immediately.
Many more died in the aftermath due to burn and radiation injuries and the survivors or Hibakusha, faced long-term health complications and societal neglect.
Nihon Hidankyo became the largest and influential Hibakusha organization in Japan.
Nihon Hidankyo has actively campaigned for the abolition of nuclear weapons since its inception. Their mission has gained increased urgency as the global nuclear threat has persisted in modern times.
They aim to remind the world that nuclear weapons are the most destructive force ever created and should never be used again.
Survivors like Mimaki have been vocal in their stance that nuclear weapons do not bring peace but pose a threat to global security.
The Nobel Committee addressed that the nuclear taboo established after World War II, is now under increasing pressure.
With geopolitical tensions rising in places like Ukraine and the Middle East, the use of nuclear weapons is no longer an unthinkable scenario.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made veiled threats about the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine and Iran’s potential nuclear capabilities remain a concern in the Middle East.
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Japan’s stance on nuclear weapons remains complex. Despite being the only nation to have suffered from atomic bombings, Japan relies on the US nuclear umbrella for its defense.
Japan has not ratified the 2021 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which aims to ban the use and possession of nuclear weapons globally.
The recognition of Nihon Hidankyo through the Nobel Peace Prize 2024 could be seen as a call to action for Japan to reconsider its stance on nuclear disarmament and take a more active role in the global movement.
Nihon Hidankyo’s efforts have also influenced other global initiatives. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 shares a common goal with Nihon Hidankyo.
The modernization of nuclear arsenals by the major nuclear powers, the emergence of new countries seeking to acquire nuclear weapons and threats made by leaders like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have concerns about the potential use of nuclear weapons.
The conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan combined with the rhetoric of nuclear threats, have created an environment in which the taboo is under pressure.
The Nobel Committee’s recognition of Nihon Hidankyo highlights the urgency of maintaining the taboo and strengthening global commitments to nuclear disarmament.
One of the aspects of the Nihon Hidankyo story is the recognition that the Hibakusha will not be with us forever. As survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings age, it becomes ever more important to preserve their stories and continue their advocacy for peace.
Nihon Hidankyo has not only ensured that the voices of the Hibakusha are heard, but it has also cultivated a strong culture of remembrance.
New generations in Japan are now taking up the mantle, continuing the work of the Hibakusha to educate the world about the dangers of nuclear weapons and to inspire future generations to carry forward the message of peace.
The decision to award Nihon Hidankyo the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize aligns with Alfred Nobel’s vision of honoring individuals and organizations that contribute to the greatest benefit to humankind.
Nihon Hidankyo’s efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons are of enormous benefit not only to Japan but to humanity as a whole.
Nihon Hidankyo joins a list of Nobel laureates who have been recognized for their work in nuclear disarmament and arms control.
The organization’s work to the power of grassroots movements and the ability of survivors to turn personal tragedy into a global call for peace.
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