• Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
• The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the group for its pursuit of a nuclear-free world and for sharing witness testimonies.
• The organization, formed in 1956, has provided thousands of witness accounts and issued public appeals for nuclear disarmament.
• The award serves as a reminder of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare and the urgent need for disarmament.

In a world where nuclear powers are modernizing their arsenals and threatening their use amid various global conflicts, a beacon of hope emerges from Japan. The Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024. This prestigious recognition is a testament to their tireless efforts to rid the world of these weapons of mass destruction.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, responsible for deciding the recipient, announced the award on October 11, 2024. The committee recognized Nihon Hidankyo for its relentless pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.

The committee noted that the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, which left 1,200,000 dead immediately and a similar number in the aftermath due to spreading radiation, sparked a global movement. This movement, driven by survivors of the bombings, known as Hibakusha, has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Taboo and the Role of Hibakusha

Over time, a powerful international norm developed, stigmatizing the use of nuclear weapons as morally unacceptable. This norm has become known as the nuclear taboo. The Hibakusha's testimony is unique in this larger context. Their personal stories, educational campaigns based on their own experiences, and urgent warnings against the spread and use of nuclear weapons have helped to generate and consolidate widespread opposition to nuclear weapons around the world.

In 1956, local Hibakusha associations, along with victims of nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific, formed the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organisations. The name was shortened to Nihon Hidankyo in Japanese, and it would become the largest and most influential Hibakusha organization. Despite physical suffering and painful memories, the survivors chose to use their costly experience to cultivate hope and engagement for peace.

Nihon Hidankyo has provided thousands of witness accounts, issued resolutions and public appeals, and sent annual delegations to the United Nations and various peace conferences to remind the world of the pressing need for nuclear disarmament.

The Current Global Context and the Future of Nuclear Disarmament

The committee also highlighted an alarming trend. The taboo against the use of nuclear weapons is under pressure as nuclear powers modernize and upgrade their arsenals, new countries appear to be preparing to acquire nuclear weapons, and threats are being made to use nuclear weapons in ongoing warfare.

The committee warned that today's nuclear weapons have far greater destructive power than those used in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They can kill millions and would impact the climate catastrophically. A nuclear war could destroy our civilization.

Despite these challenges, the committee underlined one encouraging fact - that no nuclear weapon has been used in war in nearly 80 years. This is largely due to the extraordinary efforts of Nihon Hidankyo and other representatives of the Hibakusha.

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo is a significant moment in the history of nuclear disarmament. It serves as a reminder of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare and the urgent need for disarmament. It also underscores the power of grassroots movements and the importance of survivor testimony in shaping international norms and promoting peace.