5-17-05, 12;51pm

A group of the Japanese delegation organized by the Japan Council against A and H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo) on April 29 held a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to explain the urgency of the call for the abolition of nuclear weapons on the occasion of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. On May 1, about 40,000 people, including the Japanese delegation, marched in demonstration through the streets near the U.N. headquarters to Central Park. Hiroshima City Mayor Akiba Tadatoshi and Nagasaki City Mayor Itoh Iccho as well as Hibakusha from both cities led the Japanese marchers, calling on passers-by to sign the petition. As of May 1,5,038,108 signatures have been collected.

At Central Park, demonstrators formed a human peace sign and participated in the 'No Nukes! No Wars!' rally co-sponsored by Abolition Now! and United for Peace and Justice grassroots-based organizations. Hiroshima Hibakusha Tsuboi Sunao and Nagasaki Hibakusha Shimohira Sakue spoke about the tragedies they experienced, and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki mayors gave speeches. - Akahata, May 3, 2005