Press Releases
The Awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
(Statement by Foreign Press Secretary Norio Maruyama)
It has been decided that this year's Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
Although ICAN’s activities to date are different from the Japanese government's approach, we share the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons. It would be welcomed to see increased global awareness of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation with this award.
The Nobel Committee refers to North Korea's nuclear development in its announcement. North Korea's nuclear and missile development poses unprecedented, grave and imminent threat. We must work with the international community to maximize pressure using all means to change the policy of North Korea.
Japan believes that realistic and practical efforts on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation is essential in truly pursuing a world free of nuclear weapons, through cooperation with both the non-nuclear and the nuclear-weapon states, based on the clear understanding of such a severe security environment as well as the correct understanding of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons.
In addition, the Hibakusha (Atomic Bomb survivors) of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have conveyed to the world the reality of the atomic bombings for realizing a world free of nuclear weapons. Taking this opportunity, I would like to renew my respect towards the longstanding efforts by Hibakusha and two atomic-bombed cities towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.
