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Solidarity In Japan

By Jim Thompson

The 19th World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs was held in three Japanese cities (Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki) from August 4th to 10th, 1973. There were 6,000 Japanese delegates along with 34 overseas delegations including the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Cub German Federal Republic and the United States.

For the third consecutive year, VVAW/WSO was invited to attend the conference by Gensuikyo, the main organizing group for the annual meetings. In the past we have worked with the people of Gensuikyo in the struggle to end US imperialism, and have supported their work in helping bring an end to US military involvement in Japan. Working together in this way has helped both of our organizations grow stronger. This joint work has enabled the people of Japan to learn that it is not the GI or the American people who are to blame for U.S. foreign policy, but rather the military-industrial complex.

VVAW/WSO was asked to speak at the preliminary session in Tokyo and also at a large rally held in Tokyo that emphasize the solidarity between the people of Japan and the progressive peoples of the world in their common struggle to end U.S. domination of Third World nations.

The preliminary session in Tokyo was highlighted by a donation from the American delegation to the DRV, which was to be given to the PRG representative in Hanoi, for the political prisoners held by the Saigon regime. The presentation was received with great appreciation by the entire conference. There were also presentations and telegrams from the PRG, the Cambodians and the Laotians. However, these were read by other delegates as the Japanese government would not grant visas to the delegates from the three liberation struggles in Indochina.

The plenary session of the conference was held in Nagasaki, the site of the August 9th atomic bombing of Japan. At this session we visited an atomic bomb hospital and met with bomb sufferers. The director of the hospital told us they were presently receiving 3rd generation victims of the bombings; victims through heredity. We also visited the Nagasaki museum which contains pictures and displays of that tragic bombing. According to the 1950 Japanese census, 120,000 people were killed at Nagasaki, and 150-170,000 in Hiroshima. Also, there were 297,051 survivors left in the two cities, suffering from the effects of radiation. Almost all the casualties were civilians rather than military personnel.

We learned that the U.S. government set up the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission, with its first goal to cover up the extent of the damage and destruction wreaked by the bombings. The second goal of the commission was not to give medical treatment to the bomb victims but rather to test the effect of radiation on the human body. The U.S. government offers no assistance to these atomic bomb sufferers, and the Japanese government offers very little. The hospital we visited was built entirely by donation; no money was given either by the U.S. or Japanese governments.

Also in Nagasaki, a special meeting was called where delegates from each of Japan's 47 prefectures met with the representatives of VVAW/WSO to discuss the military aspect of U.S. imperialism. All the delegates gave reports on the work they are doing around the five key bases in Japan: Sasebo, Yokota, Iwakuni, Yokosuka and Yamato. These bases are used in the overall policy of nuclear blackmail and as forward base operations in Indochina.

Overall, the 19th World Conference Against A&H Bombs was very successful. There were three main documents to come out of the conference. These resolutions included an appeal for an international agreement for complete prohibition of nuclear weapons; a resolution condemning U.S. policy in Indochina; and a general resolution which contained six points calling for an end to the U.S. aims of turning the Pacific and Asian countries into a bastion for American business interests and a storehouse for nuclear weapons.

While in Japan, it was possible to meet with two of the local chapters of VVAW/WSO GI projects in Iwakuni and Yokosuka. The meetings held were very informative and helped strengthen the ties between the local chapters and the national organization. Unfortunately, the chance to meet with the chapter in Okinawa was cancelled because the port of Kagoshima was closed due to a typhoon.

This international conference and the visit to the GI chapters represented another step for VVAW/WSO in strengthening ties with all the progressive peoples throughout the world.

NO MORE HIROSHIMAS
NO MORE NAGASAKIS

- Jim Thompson, California regional office VVAW/WSO