On August 6, DP President Renho issued the following statement.

On August 6, 72 years ago, an atomic bomb was used for the first time in the history of humankind in Hiroshima, and three days later, an atomic bomb was similarly dropped on Nagasaki also, resulting in an enormous loss of life. This year also, on the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I sincerely pray for the repose of the souls of the victims. I offer my sincere sympathies to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones, and to those who even today continue to struggle with health issues and emotional scars, and will work to enhance measures for assisting atomic bomb survivors.

In the history of humankind nuclear weapons must not be used twice. As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in wartime, Japan must use every possible means to convey to the international community just how inhumane the use of nuclear weapons is and the misery that nuclear weapons bring to large numbers of innocent people. 

On July 7 this year the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted at the United Nations. The Treaty makes specific mention of the suffering of the hibakusha (the atomic bomb survivors), and demonstrated that many countries are determined to realize “a world without nuclear weapons.” On the other hand, problems remain with this Treaty, including that Japan did not participate in its adoption, and neither did a single nuclear weapon state. The Democratic Party is also calling for proactive efforts by the government to ensure that Japan performs a bridge-building role between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states.

As the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in wartime, Japan has a duty to possess the strong resolve to never allow the horror of nuclear weapons to be repeated, and to seize the initiative in working toward realizing “a world without nuclear weapons.” The Democratic Party firmly condemns North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, and promises to make every effort to eliminate nuclear weapons in the future also by conveying the importance of disarmament and nonproliferation to nuclear weapon states, including the United States. The Democratic Party also vows to adhere to the pacifism of the Constitution of Japan, and the three non-nuclear principles.