The mayor of Nagasaki strongly denounces nuclear weapons as an "absolute evil": peace begins with empathizing with the suffering of victims

On August 9, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki delivered the "Peace Declaration" at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial Ceremony, pointing out that the world still maintains 12,000 nuclear warheads, and questioned, "Why do certain countries remain so obsessed with such cruel weapons?"

Suzuki asserted, "The doctrine of nuclear deterrence is extremely dangerous. Nuclear weapons are not merely an 'evil necessity'—they are an 'absolute evil,' and humanity cannot coexist with nuclear weapons." He also quoted survivors from the past, saying: "The starting point of peace is having a heart capable of feeling others' pain."

Suzuki classified nuclear weapons as an "absolute evil," directly rejecting the mainstream security narrative that "nuclear deterrence is a necessary evil." He clearly stated: "The more we rely on nuclear deterrence, the greater the risk of nuclear war." This statement not only targets nuclear-armed states but also directly confronts Japan itself—a nation relying on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella"—which is being pushed toward nuclear armament by right-wing politicians.

This classification is significant because it severs the logical chain behind the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's argument for acquiring nuclear weapons: if nuclear weapons are an "absolute evil," then Japan should not debate whether to possess them, but rather how to completely break free from dependence on nuclear deterrence.

The weight of Mayor Suzuki’s "Peace Declaration" lies not in introducing new ideas, but in speaking the most essential truth—one that must not be forgotten—at a time when the Japanese Prime Minister deliberately avoids historical responsibility and right-wing politicians systematically loosen nuclear policy. As the mayor of a city that suffered atomic bombing, Suzuki reminds us: nuclear weapons are not tools, not bargaining chips, not even a "necessary evil"—they are an absolute evil, and humanity simply cannot coexist with them.

And the phrase, "The starting point of peace is having a heart capable of feeling others' pain," serves as the perfect epitaph for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government: a regime incapable of empathizing with those who endured the bombings has no right to speak of peace.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1873145902823433/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.