Indo-US Nuclear Deal Censured in Japan

Reviewed by Hitoshi URABE

Article:
Indo-US Nuclear Deal Censured in Japan
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1878725.cms

Comments:

The article introduced above was distributed by an Indian media. Perhaps in order to attract the attention of local readers, the headline of the article focuses on the fact that the Indo-US nuclear deal concluded in spring was condemned in Japan. Yes, it was indeed denounced, but along with all the other attempts to develop and refine nuclear armaments.

Mayor of the city of Nagasaki, the second to be attacked with a nuclear bomb three days after Hiroshima and suffered inferno, addressed those gathered to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the bombing on August 9. "Voices of anger and frustration are echoing throughout the city. ... The time has come for those nations that rely on the force of nuclear armaments to respectfully heed the voices of peace-loving people, not least the atomic bomb survivors."

He strongly denounced every attempt in the world, by anyone with whatever the excuse may be, to develop, refine, or maintain nuclear armaments. And that included the U.S. and India, along with Iran and North Korea and a host of other countries.

The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have much been discussed during the 61 years, or at least it may seem so. But whatever the reasoning and excuse provided by those who defend the use of the bombs, the fact remains that Japanese people were victimized by the evil effects of nuclear bombs, in the number of hundreds of thousands including elderly and children, some instantly incinerated - or evaporated by over 5,000 degrees centigrade of heat - and others died after being tortured by severe burns and pains due to heat and radiation, some for hours and some even for decades.

Japan, however, rather than cursing the attackers and preparing for retaliation, decided to be a campaigner for peace, since then condemning every sort of military confrontation, and in particular, the sheer existence of nuclear weapons.

A simple search on the web would present a glimpse of, and visiting bomb museums in either of the cities would provide more information on the atrocities - in its true sense of the word - nuclear bomb could deliver to human beings and their societies. Japan is one of the few which wholeheartedly come to believe in the value of peace, and realize the wastefulness of war. This is how Japan started a new experiment that is still going on.

It has been a historical experiment for the last 61 years, conducted by Japan, to see if voluntarily parting with what was considered to be a basic principle of a country, by declaring renunciation of war and forbid carrying arms capable of attacking foreign lands in its constitution. But because of many and various types of provocations and harassments by neighboring states, some of the people in Japan have begun to wonder if the experiment was, after all, a failure.

The most current of the harassments by neighboring states, the sequence of missile launches by North Korea, perhaps was a more critical incident than many had perceived it to be. Not in the sense of the risk of real war to commence immediately, but for the Japanese people to retain faith in the international community, to which Japan has decided to vest its faith, as also clearly stipulated in the Constitution.

If the collective will of the world would not support Japan, a naive believer of peace and the common sense of the international community, what options Japan would have other than to be ignored and eventually annihilated. But even then, it is apparent that the Japanese people would be against development of nuclear bombs, by anyone for any excuse - India's or otherwise - including Japan itself.