Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bring their call for a world free of nuclear weapons to Catalonia

"We are all candidates to become future hibakusha; therefore, we must work together to eliminate nuclear weapons before they eliminate us," stated Terumi Tanaka from his podium at a press conference in Hiroshima. Tanaka is one of the survivors of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki—who, along with those from Hiroshima, are known as hibakusha—and serves as co-president of Nihon Hidankyo, an organization that brings together survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan in 1945, which this year marks its 80th anniversary.

Tanaka made these remarks in gratitude for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to the Japanese organization in recognition of its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and to bear witness to the devastating humanitarian impact of nuclear arms. "The hibakusha help us describe the indescribable, think the unthinkable, and somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons," stated the president of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Now, Spain and Catalonia have been chosen by Nihon Hidankyo as the first international action of the Japanese organization since receiving the Nobel Prize last December. Coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a delegation from the organization—led by co-president Shigemitsu Tanaka and composed of other survivors and members of nuclear disarmament organizations—has visited Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and urge Spain to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

The visit of the Nihon Hidankyo delegation, which in Madrid included a stop at the Congress of Deputies and in Barcelona at the City Hall, the Generalitat, and the Parliament—where they also met with various Catalan organizations in a meeting organized by Lafede.cat and the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP)—was coordinated by the Alliance for Nuclear Disarmament and the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo).

For Albert Caramés, director of FundiPau, the visit is significant because "it is essential to preserve memory and have firsthand testimony from someone who suffered the nuclear attacks to understand the real and human consequences of these weapons." He also asserts that, "although Spain does not have a nuclear arsenal, these issues often seem distant and limited to geopolitical analyses. However, behind wars and economic interests, there are always people who suffer the consequences."

During the meeting that the delegation held with Catalan peace organizations, Nagasaki survivor Shigemitsu Tanaka made it clear that "nuclear weapons and human beings cannot coexist because the sole purpose of these diabolical weapons is extermination." Therefore, he emphasized, "their abolition is the only way forward."

Call to sign the TPNW amid a growing nuclear threat

In Catalonia, one of the organizations that has contributed the most to exposing the impact of nuclear weapons and fighting against their proliferation is FundiPau, which took the opportunity to accompany the Nihon Hidankyo delegation during their stay in Catalonia.

Caramés, the organization's director, highlights the role of the Japanese organization in "preserving the memory of the tragic events of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, as well as denouncing the horrific use of such weaponry in a context where their use seems more plausible and realistic than ever."

In this regard, the FundiPau director explains that, while the number of nuclear arsenals is far lower than a few decades ago—at the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s, there were around 35,000 warheads, whereas today there are fewer than 13,000—they are now far more lethal due to significant technological advancements, and the deterrent threat of their use has become more credible. "We have never been so close to this happening, especially in a scenario like the recent inauguration of Donald Trump and the ongoing situation in Ukraine, which deeply concerns us," he warns.

This is why agreements like the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) must gain ground and secure as much international support as possible. In line with this, and taking advantage of their visit, the Nihon Hidankyo delegation has urged the Spanish government to sign and ratify the treaty, which has so far faced opposition from all nuclear powers.

Nevertheless, the TPNW has made progress, with sixty-three countries ratifying it and ninety-eight signing it. In Spain's case, Caramés points out that its support for the TPNW will likely depend on and align with the stance of the European Union (EU) and NATO. FundiPau remains "cautiously optimistic" about the treaty’s future and, for instance, refutes the claim that it contradicts the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is one of the main arguments put forth by opposing states.

"These treaties are perfectly complementary. Therefore, we must continue working to eliminate a type of weaponry that violates international law and constitutes a humanitarian crime due to its indiscriminate effects on entire populations," concludes Caramés.

For all these reasons, testimonies from survivors of the nuclear horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are invaluable in raising awareness about the urgency of nuclear disarmament and pressuring the international community to achieve its total abolition. As Shigemitsu Tanaka puts it: "Let us work together to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and wars so that humanity does not destroy itself."