(Provisional translation)
Dear participants of the Japan visit program of the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons”,
I would like to congratulate all the participants selected for this study trip and thank all those who worked so hard to make the trip possible.
As a Hiroshima native, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is my life’s work. Given the current difficult international situation, this has become an increasingly important issue for the future of humanity. As a starting point for all efforts towards this goal, it is important to convey to the world the reality of the use of nuclear weapons. It is with this firm conviction that I announced the establishment of the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons” at the 2022 NPT Review Conference, which I attended for the first time as Prime Minister of Japan.
Next year marks the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As the hibakusha age, the role of the younger generation, like you, in conveying to the world the reality of the use of nuclear weapons becomes even more important. I understand that you, the participants in the first group, have been taking part in online training since the program began last year. I hope that through this visit to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, you will be able to experience the reality of the use of nuclear weapons first hand, deepen your understanding, and, as future world leaders, participate in lively discussions about a “world without nuclear weapons.”
We hope that this study tour will be an opportunity for all of you, the future leaders of the world, gathered from a wide range of countries, including both nuclear-weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States, to build a global network for a “world without nuclear weapons” and to clearly communicate to the world the realities of the use of nuclear weapons.
