In a powerful address delivered via video to an international gathering of scientists in Chicago on Wednesday, Masako Wada, assistant secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), issued a stark warning: relying on nuclear deterrence is a flawed and dangerous path that threatens the very future of humanity.
Wada, herself a hibakusha — a survivor of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — delivered her remarks in English to an audience of prominent physicists and policy thinkers. Her message, rooted in the lived experience of nuclear devastation, was clear: “Nuclear deterrence cannot save humanity.”
The conference, which included attendees such as Nobel laureates and leading researchers, focused on the ethical responsibilities of science in today’s volatile geopolitical climate. Discussions included the growing risks of nuclear proliferation in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and the broader erosion of nuclear non-proliferation agreements.
In her speech, Wada urged world leaders to take concrete steps toward global nuclear disarmament. “We call on policymakers to take leadership toward a human society free of nuclear weapons,” she said, emphasizing the moral obligation of nations — particularly those with nuclear capabilities — to lead by example.
Her message arrives at a moment of increasing anxiety over nuclear security. The war in Ukraine has seen Russia rattle its nuclear sabers, raising fears of escalation. Meanwhile, developments in the Middle East, particularly Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Israel’s unacknowledged nuclear arsenal, have only deepened global instability.
Wada also expressed serious concern over renewed discussions in Japan about participating in a U.S.-led nuclear sharing arrangement, similar to that used by NATO allies. Under such an agreement, U.S. nuclear weapons could potentially be stationed on Japanese soil. “As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, Japan must not become an aggressor,” Wada warned. She argued that such policies not only undermine Japan’s pacifist constitution but also erode its moral standing as a global advocate for disarmament.
Nihon Hidankyo, the organization Wada represents, was recently awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its decades-long advocacy against nuclear weapons. The group has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of hibakusha — survivors of the 1945 bombings — and lobbying for the global adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 2021 but has yet to be ratified by any nuclear-armed state.
Wada underscored that the group’s mission is now focused on educating younger generations, ensuring that the horrors of nuclear war are never forgotten or repeated. “We will continue to share our experiences and inspire young people to join us in our efforts to create a peaceful, nuclear-free world,” she said.
Her words had a strong impact on the scientific community present. Among them was Professor David Gross, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist from the University of California, Santa Barbara, who described Wada’s message as “deeply moving.” Gross noted that her account reframed the technical and theoretical discussions in the room, reminding everyone that nuclear weapons are not merely abstract tools of deterrence but real instruments of mass suffering.
The conference, hosted by a consortium of international scientific institutions, ended with a renewed call for ethical responsibility in science and a plea for the world’s governments to recommit to arms control measures.
While the voices of survivors like Wada grow fewer with each passing year, their message remains more urgent than ever. In a world edging closer to conflict on multiple fronts, her appeal — grounded in history and human suffering — serves as a sobering reminder of what is truly at stake.
