2024 Peace Action in Nagasaki held

2024.09.27

From August 7th to 8th, 2024, the Nagasaki Prefecture Consumers' Cooperative Union and JCCU jointly held the "2024 Peace Action in Nagasaki," with approximately 1,400 participants, including online attendees from across Japan.

Peace Action is a unique initiative by consumer co-ops that encourages reflection on peace through a wide range of themes, such as passing on the war and A-bomb experiences, global wars and conflicts, base issues, and the Constitution. Study lectures and exchange meetings are held every year in Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and Okinawa. In Nagasaki, the Nagasaki Action (renamed "Peace Action in Nagasaki" in 2004) began in 1978, and this year marks its 47th anniversary.

This year, in anticipation of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing and the postwar period, a total of nine events were held with a focus on passing the legacy to the next generation. These events included the introduction of peace activities using technology, events with young people engaged in peace efforts, and projects devised by young co-op staff.

●Future Peace Activities

Professor WATANABE Hidenori from the University of Tokyo Graduate School, who is conducting joint research with JCCU on CO·OP PEACE MAP, introduced projects using technology, including digital archives, to pass on the memories of war to future generations. As a guest speaker, Ms. NAKAMURA Suzuka, co-chairperson of KNOW NUKES TOKYO, which is working to preserve the legacy of atomic bombing experiences using AR (augmented reality) on smartphones, took the stage to report their activities.

●Change Makers -New Peace Activities by Youth and Consumer Co-ops-

This new project, devised by young staff of JCCU, aims to provide participants with insights on how to pass on the desire for peace to future generations. After a report on activities by young people (university students)* engaged in peace activities in Nagasaki, co-op staff presented their own activity reports and discussed current issues. Following this, discussions were held between the young people and co-op staff under the theme of "New Peace Activities," addressing topics such as "what future peace activities should look like" and "how to increase the number of participants."

The following opinions were shared during the discussion:

• There are few opportunities to learn about which organizations are involved in peace activities.

• When people develop an interest in peace, having a place nearby where they can translate their feelings into action may lead to changes in behavior.

*Ms. KANEKO Maho and Ms. KOBAYASHI Mayo are members of the Nagasaki Youth Delegation, a human resource development project organized by the PCU Nagasaki Council for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (PCU-NC), which is composed of three parties: Nagasaki Prefecture, Nagasaki City, and Nagasaki University.

●Testimony of Double A-bomb survivors (Hibakusha) by Heirs

As the aging of hibakusha progresses and it becomes increasingly difficult to hear their stories firsthand, a special event was held to listen to the testimonies of their heirs. Ms. HARADA Kosuzu, a third-generation hibakusha, shared the experiences of her grandfather, Mr. YAMAGUCHI Tsutomu, a double hibakusha who survived both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

●Niji-no Hiroba (Rainbow stage)

At the climax event of Peace Action in Nagasaki, about 700 people nationwide participated, including online. Representing the organizers, TSUCHIYA Toshio, President of JCCU, delivered an address. Following greetings from SUZUKI Shiro, Mayor of Nagasaki, and MATSUI Kazumi, Mayor of Hiroshima (via video message), a lecture was given by actress SAITO Tomoko, who continues to engage with Hibakusha, including those with A-bomb-induced microcephaly. Additionally, there were activity reports from high school peace ambassadors, a presentation of an appeal statement by the Children's Peace Conference*, and a chorus performance by local elementary school students.

*The Children's Peace Conference is a joint project between Peace Action in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where children participate in pre-study sessions and workshops to learn and think about peace together. This year, the event was held on August 4 in Hiroshima, with 55 participants, including online attendees, ranging from elementary to high school students from 13 prefectures.

Click Here: Appeal Statement (Excerpt)

Greetings by President of JCCU Toshio Tsuchiya (Excerpt)

We, the Japanese Consumer Co-ops, are actively engaged in various peace action activities aimed at abolishing nuclear weapons and achieving a peaceful society, in response to the wishes of war and Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) who declare, "We must never create atomic bomb victims again" and "We seek to eliminate nuclear weapons from the world". Today's 'Rainbow stage' is one such activity.

This time, a UN atomic bomb exhibition panel, created with donations from co-ops nationwide, was displayed for the first time in Nagasaki, widely conveying the strong desire of Hibakusha and local residents for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

It is crucial that we once again reflect deeply on the meaning of "peace," pass on the events that occurred under the mushroom cloud 79 years ago, along with the sentiments of Nagasaki, the A-bombed city, to the next generations, and transform these reflections into actions that shape public opinion in support of abolishing nuclear weapons, so that the future generation children can live in a peaceful world.