2019 135E We support the forceful messages of Pope Francis in Nagasaki and in Hiroshima.

WP7 No.135E

November 28, 2019
Committee of Seven to Appeal for World Peace
Kinhide Mushakoji, Yoshino Oishi, Michiji Konuma, Satoru Ikeuchi, Shin’ichiro Ikebe, Kaoru Takamura, Susumu Shimazono

On 24th November 2019, Pope Francis delivered two messages in the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park of Nagasaki and in the Peace Memorial Park of Hiroshima, where he remembered the tragedy of all the people who lost their precious life or continued to live in pain and sorrow and insisted on the need never to forget their tragic experience, and never to repeat it again.
The Pope declared that «The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral. The possesion of nuclear weapons is also immoral.» «I ask political leaders not to forget that these weapons cannot protect us from current threats to national and international security. We need to ponder the catastrophic impact of their deployment, especially from a humanitarian and environmental standpoint.» He further declared that «Our world is marked by a perverse dichotomy that tries to defend and ensure stability and peace through a false sense of security sustained by a mentality of fear and mistrust, one that ends up poisoning relationships between peoples and obstructing any form of dialogue».
These remarks made by one of the leading religious leaders of today addressed to all the people of the world deeply impressed them. Especially so many people living in Japan who cannot forget the tragic consequence caused by nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki received these words with great sympathy. These words are also precious in Japan by supporting the message of Article Nine of the Constitution of Japan.
The two messages from Pope Francis are also confirming the Treaty for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, and condemning the wrong logic of Nuclear Deterrence of the political leaders who reject this Treaty including the Japanese Government Coalition whose present position is condemned with powerful arguments.
We, the Committee of Seven to Appeal for World Peace, strongly support the forceful messages of Pope Francis and want to have it shared by all peoples of the World. We hope that the opinion leaders of all religious, academic and cultural fields will raise their voice so that Pope Francis Messages will become the opening of a worldwide great wave for Peace and Reconciliation.

PDF Appeal→135e.pdf