Nihon Hidankyo, Atomic Bomb Survivor Group, Wins 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for Advocacy Against Nuclear Weapons
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organisation made up of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This grassroots movement, known as the "Hibakusha," has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the devastating impact of nuclear weapons and to advocate for a world free of them.
The committee recognized Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to "achieve a world free of nuclear weapons" and for using personal witness testimony to ensure these weapons are never used again. As Nobel Committee Chair Joergen Watne Frydnes put it, they help "describe the indescribable" and think "the unthinkable."
“I can’t believe it’s real,” says co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo
Toshiyuki Mimaki, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo and a Hiroshima survivor, expressed deep emotion upon hearing of the award.
"I can’t believe it’s real," he said, adding that this recognition would further their campaign for nuclear disarmament.
“Nuclear weapons should absolutely be abolished,” Mimaki stressed during a press conference in Hiroshima.
The hibakusha have faced significant challenges over the years, including social stigma and health complications from radiation exposure. Despite these struggles, their mission to educate the public and prevent the use of nuclear weapons has gained global attention. Nihon Hidankyo has regularly sent survivors to peace conferences and the United Nations to share their stories.
Nobel Committee highlight growing concerns over nuclear weapons
The Nobel Committee's decision to honour Nihon Hidankyo also draws attention to growing concerns about nuclear weapons today. Frydnes highlighted the troubling trend of nuclear powers modernising and expanding their arsenals, and noted that the "nuclear taboo" — the international norm against using nuclear weapons — is under pressure. He emphasised the urgency of maintaining this taboo to prevent future conflicts.
Next year marks the 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed over 120,000 people. The memories of that devastation continue to inspire the survivors to advocate for peace, making Nihon Hidankyo's work especially relevant as tensions rise in global conflicts.
By awarding Nihon Hidankyo the Peace Prize, the Nobel Committee has once again underscored the need for nuclear disarmament, a cause it has supported in previous years, including with the 2017 award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The committee hopes this recognition will keep the conversation alive and remind the world of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war.
