Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors Win Nobel Peace Prize

Oslo, Friday – Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots organization of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. The group, also known as Hibakusha, has long campaigned for the elimination of nuclear weapons, offering a stark warning to nuclear-armed nations.

The Hibakusha, who witnessed the devastating effects of the only two nuclear bombs used in conflict, have dedicated their lives to advocating for a nuclear-free world. “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,” said the Norwegian Nobel Committee in its announcement.

The committee praised the survivors for helping the world understand the unimaginable suffering caused by nuclear weapons, with Joergen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, highlighting the catastrophic consequences of modern nuclear arsenals. “Today’s nuclear weapons have far greater destructive power. They can kill millions and would impact the climate catastrophically,” Frydnes warned, adding, “A nuclear war could destroy our civilization.”

Frydnes also lauded Nihon Hidankyo’s contributions to strengthening the global taboo against the use of nuclear weapons, a norm that he said is now under increasing pressure. He stressed the urgency of protecting this taboo, especially as the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings approaches next year.

The Nobel Peace Prize, valued at around $1 million, will be formally presented in Oslo on December 10, marking the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the founder of the award. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has frequently spotlighted the issue of nuclear disarmament, with its most recent award in this area going to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) in 2017.