Atomic bomb survivors’ group in Japan wins Nobel Peace Prize

New Delhi, Oct 11: The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organisation in Japan representing atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for its long-standing campaign against nuclear weapons.

The Nobel Committee commended the group “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.”

The award comes at a time of heightened concern over the possible use of nuclear arms, and it sends a strong message to global leaders to reflect on the devastation caused in Japan by the US bombings of 1945.

Nihon Hidankyo, founded in 1956, arose from the need to address the neglected plight of the hibakusha, survivors of the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over the decades, members of this organisation have shared their personal stories, which have become a powerful force in generating global opposition to nuclear weapons.

As SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) Director Dan Smith remarked, “The Hibakusha remind us every day” of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons. He emphasised the importance of the group’s role in preserving the “nuclear taboo” that has prevented the use of such weapons for nearly 80 years.

The bombings killed approximately 120,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with many more dying in the years that followed from burns and radiation injuries. The survivors’ testimonies, documented over decades by Nihon Hidankyo, have served as a stark reminder of the catastrophic effects of nuclear warfare.

Smith also lauded the Nobel Committee for focusing attention on the human cost of nuclear weapons and the current geopolitical risks: “Relations between the USA and Russia and their respective allies are today at their most toxic since the cold war.”

Despite reductions in the overall number of nuclear weapons since the Cold War, the number of deployed nuclear warheads is rising. “It is an extremely worrying sign,” Smith added, referencing SIPRI’s 2024 Yearbook, which highlights that states continue to modernize and rely on nuclear deterrence. Of the approximately 12,121 warheads globally in 2024, nearly 9,585 remain in military stockpiles, with 3,904 actively deployed, marking a rise from the previous year.

The Nobel Committee’s recognition of Nihon Hidankyo highlights the continued relevance of the anti-nuclear campaign. As Smith reflected, “With this award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has scored a triple strike: it has drawn attention to the human impact of nuclear weapons, to the dangers of the present day, but also to the fact that we have managed to get by without using nuclear weapons for 80 years.” The challenge, he warned, is to maintain this nuclear taboo amid rising global tensions.