### Nobel Peace Prize Winner Warns of Rising Nuclear Threat Amid Global Conflicts

Emerging global conflicts, such as those in Gaza, are exacerbating the risk of nuclear war, cautioned the latest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who reiterated the urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons. This year's prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots organization of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, for its relentless efforts to advocate for a nuclear-free world.

Speaking on Saturday, Shigemitsu Tanaka, a co-leader of the group and a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki bombing, expressed grave concerns over the international climate. "The global situation is deteriorating, with wars erupting and countries brandishing nuclear threats," Tanaka stated. He underscored the necessity of nuclear abolition to avert humanity's self-destruction. Nagasaki, the second city to suffer a nuclear attack by the United States on August 9, 1945, witnessed the deaths of at least 74,000 people, just three days after the Hiroshima bombing killed 140,000.

Hiroshima residents, reflecting on their traumatic history, voiced hopes that the world would never forget the devastations of 1945. Susumu Ogawa, now 84, was only five years old when the Hiroshima bomb obliterated his city, killing many of his family members. Ogawa highlighted the importance of abandoning all nuclear weapons globally, drawing on his firsthand experiences of their horrors.

The ongoing crises in the Middle East, including Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon and tensions with Iran, dishearten Ogawa, who lamented the futility of violence. "Why do people fight each other? Hurting each other won't bring anything good," he said.

On Saturday, Japanese demonstrators rallied at the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, showing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Toshiyuki Mimaki, another co-leader of Nihon Hidankyo and a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, drew parallels between the plight of children in Gaza and Japanese children at the end of World War II. "In Gaza, bleeding children are being held by their parents. It's like Japan 80 years ago," Mimaki remarked.

Founded in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo has been dedicated to sharing the stories of hibakusha—survivors of the atomic bombings—and advocating for a nuclear-free world. With the average age of the surviving hibakusha now around 85, emphasis is being placed on educating younger generations about these historical events. Kiyoharu Bajo, 69, visiting the Hiroshima memorial, expressed hope that the Nobel prize would amplify the voices of atomic bomb survivors and encourage more people to learn about their experiences. "Having grown up surrounded by atom bomb survivors, I felt a personal connection to the incident. For future generations, it remains a crucial issue," he concluded.