The Nobel Peace Prize for this year was awarded on Friday, October 11th, to the Japan Atomic Bomb and Hydrogen Bomb Survivors Association, Nihon Hidankyo, in recognition of their efforts to advocate for the prohibition of nuclear weapons.
The Japan Atomic Bomb and Hydrogen Bomb Survivors Association, also known as the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, was established in 1956 by survivors of the atomic bomb explosions during World War II. The group is dedicated to the elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide and calls for government support in addressing their health issues.
Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, stated during the award announcement, “The stories and testimonies of atomic bomb survivors serve as a crucial reminder of the unacceptable nature of using nuclear weapons.”
This year’s Nobel Peace Prize comes at a time of significant deadly conflicts in regions like Ukraine and the Middle East. Particularly with Russia facing setbacks in its war with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened the potential use of nuclear weapons and recently indicated a willingness to adjust Russia’s nuclear policy, potentially lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use.
Frydnes emphasized, “It is clear that the threats of using nuclear weapons are putting pressure on the important international norm of the taboo against nuclear weapons.”
He added, “It is alarming that the actions threatening the use of nuclear weapons are undermining this norm. It is essential for all of humanity to firmly uphold the international taboo against using nuclear weapons.”
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, resulting in approximately 80,000 immediate casualties. Three days later, the second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, causing another approximately 70,000 deaths. Over the following years, tens of thousands more died in both cities due to radiation from the nuclear blasts.
In 1956, local atomic bomb survivors came together to form what is now the Japan Atomic Bomb and Hydrogen Bomb Survivors Association. Over the decades, the organization has collected thousands of witness testimonies and annually sends delegations to the United Nations and peace conferences to push for nuclear disarmament.
Alfred Nobel, the late Swedish chemist and industrialist who funded the Nobel Prize, stated in his will that the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to those who have worked the hardest and most effectively for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the organization of peace congresses.
The recipient of the Nobel Prize will receive a cash award of 11 million Swedish Kronor (approximately 1 million USD).