The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on October 11, 2024 to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization that represents the atomic bomb survivors of the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nihon Hidankyo was recognized for its efforts in advocating for a nuclear weapon-free world. Originally founded in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo represents the “Hibakusha” or the survivors of the 1945 bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Members of Nihon Hidankyo travel around the world to share their first-hand horrific experiences as survivors of atomic bombing, telling their personal stories to spread awareness of the incredible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons. Nihon Hidankyo has been working towards a world without atomic weapons, and cautioning countries with access to atomic bombs to not use them.
More specifically, Nihon Hidankyo focuses on three main missions: to advocate for economic and social rights for all Hibakusha(regardless of whether they live in or outside Japan); to obtain acknowledgement from the Japanese government for their actions in causing World War 2 and state compensation for the atomic bomb damages; and to spread awareness about the horrors of the atomic bombings during World War 2 to ensure that others in the future do not experience the damage and destruction of nuclear weapons.
Chieko Mochizuki, a woman who was a child in Kyoto during the bombings, recounts the story of a friend who survived the Hiroshima attack. He was around 10 or 11 years old going to school when the bomb hit at around 8 o’clock in the morning. All of a sudden, he hears a deafening noise and falls to the ground. Someone else ends up falling on top of him, immediately dying from the impact, but ends up saving his life. However, he was lying on his side and his face was unprotected, leaving him deaf on one side and having trouble using his teeth. She notes that he also had children, but they were both born with chronic illnesses, so the bombing not only affected the survivors involved, but also affected entire generations.
The impact of drawing from their personal experiences as survivors to encourage opposition to nuclear weapons worldwide led the Norwegian Nobel Committee to recognize Nihon Hidankyo’s efforts. The Co-Chair of Nihon Hidankyo Toshiyuki Mimaki in an interview with PBS reflects that “what [he] seeks most is peace…The images of the children in Gaza covered in blood held by their parents reminds me of Japan 80 years ago.” In addition to sharing their devastating personal stories, Nihon Hidankyo has also hosted and created many campaigns against nuclear weapons, and issued warnings against nuclear warfare. Although in the past, Nihon Hidankyo has been nominated several times for this award— in 1994 and 2005—some believe that this year is an especially crucial time to bestow the Nobel Peace Prize to this organization, so the messages of peace and the stories of the survivors are brought to the forefront of the world stage.
CdM’s AP World teacher Mr. Manning explains that, ”making everybody aware of what atomic bombs do by talking to survivors is actually a really good thing, because for example, both Russia and Iran have threatened to use nuclear weapons in the current wars that are existing and escalating.” He also adds that because so many countries have access to nuclear weapons now, it is important for people to know what the effects of atomic bombs actually are. A student at CdM noted Nihon Hidankyo’s decades-long efforts, stating that the organization’s recognition is well-deserved. The student also hopes that the award can serve as a warning to nations such as Russia and Iran, preventing them from resorting to nuclear warfare. Mochizuki adds that she, “and [her] friends and family who are still in Japan, never want to see that happen ever again.”
As threats of nuclear warfare persist today, Nihon Hidankyo winning the Nobel Peace Prize is a real time, cautionary reminder of the importance of abolishing the use of atomic weapons. This important honor highlights the horrific real-life experiences of the Hibakusha and spreads global awareness of their personal mission to abolish nuclear weapons.