Local democracy in action for a greener, more peaceful world

Iwao Nakanishi

Iwao Nakanishi's picture

Profile

First Name
Iwao
Last Name
Nakanishi
Title
Hibakusha (survivor)
Organization/Business
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima
Notes/Bio

Iwao Nakanishi was 15-years-old when the bomb went off above Hiroshima in August 1945.

"Never again," he says, "should we follow the path of war from the 1940s, that we and Japan experienced."

Iwao Nakanishi understands why there's debate, but the 76-year-old says the idea of Japan owning its own nuclear weapons should not be considered.

"As an atomic bomb victim, I'm absolutely against nuclear tests or having nuclear weapons," he says.

"That's my position, and we shouldn't go down that path. However, everything has its ideal and its reality, and if we are attacked by neighbouring countries as a reality problem, a war is possible, and the reality right now for Japan is that America would fight back for us."

Related content

Event/Session

User login

CONVENERS

Convened by Liberty Tree, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, Western States Legal Foundation, Global Action to Prevent War, and Mayors for Peace in cooperation with Cities for Progress, Nukewatch, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Wisconsin Carbon Free/Nuclear Free, Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice.

For a full list of conveners, organizers, and community, industry, major, and media sponsors, please click here

SPREAD THE WORD

Please use these buttons to add a link:

Future Cities 2009 button

<a href="http://www.FutureCities2009.org" target="_blank"><img align="middle" alt="Future Cities 2009 button" height="150" hspace="3" src="http://www.democracysquare.org/files_public/future-cities-web-buttons-square-2.png" vspace="3" width="150" /></a>

 

Future Cities 2009 button

<a href="http://www.FutureCities2009.org" target="_blank"><img align="middle" alt="Future Cities 2009 button" height="117" hspace="3" src="http://www.democracysquare.org/files_public/web-button-1-future-cities-2009.png" style="cursor: default; " vspace="3" width="200" /></a>

BACKGROUND

Cities are assuming an active role in nuclear abolition and climate protection initiatives. Over 900 mayors have signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to work to implement the Kyoto Protocol in their own communities.

Future Cities 2009 follows on a similar, smaller conference hosted by Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie last October. For the details on that event, click here.