STATEMENT BY Ms. MASAKI KOYANAGI

YOUTH COMMUNICATOR FOR A WORLD WITHOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS

REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN TO THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

The 1325th Plenary Meeting of the Conference on Disarmament

Geneva, 19 AUGUST 2014

Mr. President,

First of all, it is a great honor for me to be able to speak at the CD. Today, I would like to briefly touch upon the real consequences of the atomic bombing and reinvigorate the call for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

I was born and brought up in Nagasaki and I had many chances to hear about the terror of the atomic bomb. My grandmother underwent the bombing at 1.5 km from the hypocenter when she was 22 years old. She escaped from death but she got wounded in her leg by the machine. She had been suffering from poor health and died of stomach cancer when she was 53 years old. I had no chances to hear about her experience. As I came to know both of my grand-parents met the atomic bombing at the very close point from the hypocenter, I thought I should know how they overcame the hardship after the bombing. Now I am determined to work hard as a third generation of atomic bomb survivors to pass down the stories of the survivors to next generation. “There will be no more survivors in the future of mankind” is the desire of the survivors. It is my duty to convey their message to many people of the world.

In February this year, I attended “The Second Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons” in Mexico. In the conference, “Hibakusha Session” was held.　I made a statement as a third generation of atomic bomb survivors with four atomic bomb survivors’ testimonies. I talked about my grandparents and atomic bomb survivors’ suffer. I said my mission as a third generation is to continue to appeal the survivors’ wish to the people of the world. Now, I have a strong sense of responsibility as a third generation atomic survivors. We must not forget the tragedies in Nagasaki and Hiroshima 69 years ago. In order to put my thinking into the action, I decided to become a Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Messenger.

The first Peace Messengers were dispatched 17 years ago to bring the voices of Nagasaki to the world. “The 10,000 High School Students Signatures Campaign” continues to this day seeking for the abolition of nuclear weapons and for the realization of a peaceful world. And the campaigns are spreading to many parts of Japan. The total number of signatures reached to one million last year and this year we brought here today 131,743 signatures. We were appointed as youth communicator for a world without nuclear weapons by Mr. Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister of Japan. We, young people of Japan, have a mission to appeal for a world without nuclear weapons.

It’s time for young people to take an action. I believe we can open the way to peace by our efforts.　I also call on all the delegates in the CD to renew their determination and pave the way for the total elimination of nuclear weapons through united action. I sincerely hope the stalemate of the CD will resolve and an active negotiation commences soon. I would also like to ask you to please visit Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Next time, I hope to see you in Japan.

I thank you, Mr. President.