With reference to Gaza, the co-head of Nihon Hidankyo, Toshiyuki Mimaki, received the Nobel Peace Prize , which he describes as "like Japan 80 years ago".
The committee caused surprise with its decision, overturning the forecasts that estimated that the Nobel this year could not be about Palestine .
During a press conference in Tokyo, the co-head of Nihon Hidankyo , the organization that won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, compared the situation of children in Gaza to the situation in Japan at the end of World War II.
" In Gaza, children are covered in blood . It's like Japan 80 years ago," Toshiyuki Mimaki said during a press conference held in Tokyo, according to AFP.
At the same time, he said that the recognition of their group with the Nobel Peace Prize will give a great boost to their efforts to prove that the abolition of nuclear weapons is possible.
"It will be a great force to reach out to the world and show that the abolition of nuclear weapons can be achieved," Mimaki said. "Nuclear weapons must absolutely be abolished ... Nuclear weapons do not bring peace."
For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba welcomed Nihon Hidankyo's awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize, considering that this prize is "extremely important".
"The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize was given to this organization, which has been working for many years to abolish nuclear weapons, is extremely important," he told reporters.
Palestine among the favorites for the Nobel
According to estimates before the announcement of the award, the most likely candidates were those of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) , the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA ), and the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, due to the war with dozens thousands of dead, the incalculable destruction and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to Uppsala University's Conflict Data Project, there were 59 armed conflicts worldwide in 2023 , almost double the number in 2009. Some experts have suggested that this could be a reason not to award this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
As the Guardian previously reported , awarding the award to UNRWA was considered controversial, according to experts, because of Israel's persistent claims that its officials were involved in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in southern Israel. UNRWA has stated for its part that Israel is trying to dismantle it. The agency, founded in 1949, provides humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Alternatively, an award at the ICJ, which has condemned Russia's war in Ukraine and called on Israel to ensure that no genocide is committed in Gaza, would send a strong signal that international humanitarian law must be respected.
It is noted that the commission has decided not to award the prize 19 times in its 123 years of existence , but said this year that the high number of conflicts made rewarding peace efforts "perhaps more important than ever."
Nobel Peace Prize 2024: The Commission's announcement and the nuclear message
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in awarding the 2024 Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, stated that: " It wishes to honor all the survivors of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki who, despite their physical suffering and painful memories, chose to use the their experience, which they paid dearly, to cultivate hope and commitment to peace. They help us describe the unfathomable, think the unfathomable, and somehow understand the unfathomable pain and suffering that nuclear weapons cause .'
The commission noted that this year marks 80 years since two US atomic bombs killed an estimated 120,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with a similar number dying later from burns and radiation injuries. "The fates of those who survived the infernos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as the Himbakusa, have long remained hidden and neglected," the commission said.
The committee noted that the award recognizes an encouraging fact: “ No nuclear weapon has been used in war for nearly 80 years. The extraordinary efforts of Nihon Hidankyo and other representatives of the Himbakusa contributed significantly to the creation of the 'taboo' against the use of nuclear weapons.
However, she expressed her concern that today this taboo is under pressure. Nuclear powers are modernizing and upgrading their arsenals , new countries appear to be preparing to acquire nuclear weapons, and threats are being made to use nuclear weapons in ongoing conflicts.
"At this moment in human history, it is worth remembering what nuclear weapons are: the most destructive weapons the world has ever seen ," the commission added.
“One day, the Himbakusa (survivors of the nuclear bombings) will no longer be among us as witnesses of history. But with a strong culture of remembrance and continued commitment, new generations in Japan continue to carry on the experience and message of the martyrs. They inspire and educate people all over the world. In this way, they help maintain the nuclear taboo – a prerequisite for a peaceful future for humanity,” he added.
The Himbakusa, meaning 'bomb-affected people', numbered around 136,700 in 2020 .
