Nobel Peace Prize 2024 Won by Japanese Anti-Nuclear Group Nihon Hidankyo

nobel peace prize 2024

Nobel Peace Prize 2024 is awarded to the Japanese organisation, Nihon Hidankyo. The organisation is a fundamental movement made by the atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo also known as Hibakusha, are now declared as the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2024. Their strenuous work for achieving a “world free of nuclear weapons and demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again” is commendable. 

Who is Nihon Hidankyo? 

Nihon Hidankyo was formed on August 10, 1956, during the conference of the Second World War. It is the only national organisation of A-bomb (atomic bomb) and H-bomb (hydrogen bomb) survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

The organisation is formed of a total of 47 Japanese prefectures that are present in different countries for the representation of its survivors. The secretary general of the organisation is Tanaka Terumi who is a 92-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing. He was thirteen years old at that time. 

Approximately 174,080 members are living in Japan who are the survivors of Hibon Hidankyo till the updates of March 2016. Thousands of them are living in Korea and other regions of the world. 

 
 
 
 
 
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It was formed with a vision in mind. It pressured the Japanese government to abolish nuclear weapons and enhance support for the victims of bombings. With these two missions being the highlights of the organisation, their activities were aligned for advocating global nuclear disarmament, public appeals partaking in resolutions for the said purpose, and offering thousands of witness accounts. Sending annual delegations was also on the list of activities that the organisation kept involved in till October 2024. 

Nihon Hidankyo’s Efforts in Nuclear Disarmament 

After coming into existence 65 years ago, the biggest accomplishment of Nihon Hidankyo could be seen in its efforts that resulted in no use of nuclear weapons for nearly 80 years. The organisation provided its voice at all possible platforms where they narrated their first-hand experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Its collaboration with ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) and the UN (United Nations) made the push to prohibit nuclear weapons possible till now.

Their educational campaigns and constant emphasis on the need for a global movement for nuclear disarmament and their permanent abolition led them to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024. ICAN, winner of the same prize in 2017, has been an active collaborator for Hidankyo’s tireless campaigning and their continuous testimonials of Hidankyo’s work have been a massive support to achieving the organisation’s goals. 

With this, Hidankyo was able to enter into the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This move proved to be a distinguished milestone in the organisation’s road to success that was just the beginning of coming in the eyes of the Nobel Peace Prize committee, a Norwegian committee dedicated to the said purpose. 

One of the survivors, Chieko Kiriake, who was 15 years old in the days of the Hiroshima tragedy, remembered one horrific incident. Kiriake told that one day after the bomb ruined everything in the vicinity where she was living in Hiroshima. She went outside and took a walk to look around the destruction. She stumbled upon a black rock, only then to realise later that it was the burned body of a three-year-old who was still alive. 

The kid was constantly asking Kiriake to find her mom. She was immediately taken to the nearby hospital but kept insisting on finding her mom. Kiriake had to tell her to let her go so that she could find her mother and inform her about the kid. 

Although Kiriake couldn’t find the mother, the next day, when she visited the hospital, she couldn’t find the kid anywhere. Kiriake confessed that after 65 years gone, she still couldn’t forget her face.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2024: Why Nihon Hidankyo? 

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, assigned with the task of selecting the Nobel Peace Prize winners each year, proclaimed Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo as this year’s winner. 

“Hibakusha is receiving the Peace Prize for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again”, the committee said. 

Nihon Hidankyo is the only witness of the two most dreadful nuclear bombs and has now dedicated their entire lives to a single purpose. 

The anti-nuclear group’s co-head was surprised at coming out as the victorious ones at one of the most prestigious awards in the world. Toshiyuki Mimaki said, “Never did I dream this could happen”. 

Nobel Peace Prize 2024
Nihon Hidankyo’s co-head Toshiyuki Mimaki (Source: Arab News)

He was further worried about the situation of the Gaza people, which he narrated as similar to that of Japan at the end of World War II. According to him, “In Gaza, children in blood are being held. It’s like Japan 80 years ago”. 

Also, the Nobel committee said that Hidakyo’s alignment with Nobel Peace Prize goals is perfect as they have done some “unthinkable” things that somehow match with the aims of the Peace Prize. 

The committee admitted that nuclear weapons are the source of “incomprehensible pain and suffering” for which Hidankyo are the rightly declared winners for fostering peace. 

The committee chairperson, Jorgen Watne Frydness remarked that nuclear weapons and the pertinent taboo of using them are still “under pressure”. However, the extraordinary efforts of Hidankyo made it clear that taboo should be a precondition to maintaining peace in any region of the world. 

The organisation will receive the Nobel Peace Prize, valued at 11 million Swedish crowns (€1 million), on December 10. The date marks the death anniversary of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel who was the actual founder of these awards in 1895. 

Something about the Norwegian committee for the Nobel Peace Prize 

Based on Alfred Nobel’s will, the Peace Prizes were awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee launched in 1901. There was clarification in his will as to why the Norwegian committee was specifically appointed for the presentation of the esteemed award. 

While the rest of the four prizes were managed by Swedish committees. The Norwegian committee has strong political backing for this purpose, Storting (Norwegian Parliament). 

Nobel Peace Prize 2024
Chairperson of Norwegian Committee at Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony (Source: The New York Times)

The Norwegian Committee consists of five members who are also appointed by Storting. The expert advisors in the committee get full support from Storting so that every year’s winners are announced after careful investigation and deep analysis of the work a certain person or organisation has put in for peace. 

Based on Alfred Nobel’s will, the prize should be awarded for “the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”. 

Since the launch of this award sega in 1901, 104 prizes have been distributed to both individuals and organisations. Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese anti-nuclear group, fit well into the criteria cited in the will, and hence, the most deserving winner this year. 

Global Reactions and Impact 

Some of the international reactions coming after Nihon Hidankyo’s win for the Nobel Peace Prize 2024 are:

Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba

“It’s extremely meaningful that the organisation that has worked toward abolishing nuclear weapons received the Nobel Peace Prize,” Ishiba told a press conference in Laos”.

United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, posted on X

“The relentless work and resilience of the hibakusha are the backbone of the global nuclear disarmament movement.”

Shiro Suzuki, Mayor Of Nagasaki City, posted on X

“This award is proof that the long, steady efforts of the Hibakusha, whose average age is over 85, have been recognised internationally.”

U.S. Ambassador To Japan, Rahm Emanuel, posted on X

“I have been immeasurably impressed with the atomic bomb survivors I have met and their admirable dedication to building a world without nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons must never be used again.”

Japan’s Former Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, posted on X

“It is our country’s mission, as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, to continue to make efforts towards the realisation of ‘a world without nuclear weapons’.”

Peace Research Institute OSLO

Nihon Hidankyo‘s work reminds us of the devastating human cost of nuclear weapons, a message we cannot ignore. In an era where automated weapon systems and AI-driven warfare are emerging, their call for disarmament is not just historical — it is a critical message for our future.”

Legacy and the Road Ahead 

Nihon Hidankyo aims to take this recognition further and use it to raise voices for the victims of Gaza, Ukraine and Russia. The anti-nuclear group’s co-head blamed the nuclear weapons for the suffering of people of these regions and it would not stop until the leaders realised the intensity of the matter. 

In a world where nuclear weapons remain a threat, their fight for nuclear disarmament would go on. The co-head elucidated that even if Palestine and Russia used the same nuclear weapons against their enemies in return, the process would not end here. 

The organisation’s aim to raise global awareness of the catastrophic human consequences of nuclear weapons would stay the same in the times to come when geopolitical matters have worsened. The leaders need to re-think ways to be more diplomatic rather than ending the conversations on the use of nuclear bombings only. 

The role of the United Nations has been insufficient in preventing Israel and similar regions from their use of nuclear weapons. TPNW was established with the exact intention that testing, deployment, use and upgrade of any nuclear weapon is banned globally. The treaty was adopted by 122 governments in July 2017 at the United Nations Meeting. 

There are two ways of following upon the treaty; either by disarming before joining the treaty and accepting all the verifications and clauses of the agreement or by joining and later cooperating with the agreed plan within the given time frame of ten years. 

The UN’s role in forcing Israel and other war-induced regions has been ineffective since they are not following the treaty. Whether it is part of or not, they need to abide by the rules of peace set by the United Nations. However, Israel has cleverly adhered to its policy of ambiguity. The country does not admit openly that it has a nuclear arsenal however, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel won’t be the first one to launch nuclear bombs into the Middle East. 

The same policy of ambiguity is followed by the United States and other Western regions in spite of knowing that Israel does possess a nuclear arsenal that possibly has at least 90 nuclear warheads stored underground. Its risks of use and consequences are colossal with a much greater proliferation risk. 

This conversation aims to provide a broad summary of the situation. This is what Nihon Hidankyo aims to do in future. Its partner, ICAN also endeavours to be on the same path. In March 2024, ICAN was present at the UN’s meeting to respond to inaction to disarmament and non-compliance with TPNW. ICAN’s United Nations liaison met with other leaders present in the meeting on the sidelines. 

One of the most critical challenges that organisations like Nihon Hidankyo or ICAN can face is political resistance to opt for a global nuclear disarmament policy. There is always competition for great power acquisition, nationalism, as much widespread use of nuclear technology as possible, and increasing polarisation among NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) members. 

Wrapping Up

Organisations like Nihon Hidankyo remain persistent and true to their goals. They find the most challenging aspect of doing so is “keeping the expectations high” in the most distressed times, just like today. 

They feel that they are here to “raise the bar as others try to lower it”, stated by executive director of ICAN, the closest partner of Nihon Hidankyo. They believe it is their duty to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons. 

If large geographic regions of the world handle their matters in peace and without any use of nuclear weapons, it should not remain impossible for the entire world then. These regions have set examples that a weapon-free zone can be a source of hope and are an inspiration for the rest of the world that a different way is possible.

FAQs

1. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024, and why?
The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Japan’s Nihon Hidankyo, the national organization of atomic and hydrogen bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They were recognized for their advocacy for nuclear disarmament and their witness testimonies, highlighting the devastating impact of nuclear weapons and promoting a world free of them.

2. What is Nihon Hidankyo?
Nihon Hidankyo, also known as Hibakusha, was founded in 1956 and is the only national organization representing survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It comprises 47 Japanese prefectures and includes survivors worldwide. Their mission focuses on abolishing nuclear weapons and providing support for atomic bomb survivors.

3. What impact has Nihon Hidankyo had on nuclear disarmament efforts?
Nihon Hidankyo has been instrumental in global nuclear disarmament movements. They work with organizations like ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) and the United Nations to advocate for treaties such as the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Their persistent efforts have significantly influenced international awareness and policy regarding nuclear disarmament.

4. What role did the Norwegian Nobel Committee play in awarding this prize?
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, acknowledging the organization’s alignment with Alfred Nobel’s will, which mandates the prize go to those who work for peace and reduction of standing armies. The committee praised Hidankyo’s efforts and testimony in raising awareness about the humanitarian costs of nuclear warfare.

5. What are some specific contributions of Nihon Hidankyo to global peace?
Nihon Hidankyo provides witness testimonies from survivors, advocating against nuclear weapons by sharing the firsthand horrors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. They participate in international disarmament initiatives, education campaigns, and collaborate with global partners like ICAN to promote the TPNW and a nuclear-free world.

6. How has Nihon Hidankyo reacted to winning the Nobel Peace Prize?
Co-head Toshiyuki Mimaki expressed surprise and gratitude for receiving the award, stating that he never anticipated such recognition. He also voiced concern over ongoing conflicts in regions like Gaza, drawing parallels to Japan’s experiences in World War II, and emphasised that Hidankyo’s mission for a nuclear-free world remains as vital as ever.

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