Nihon Hidankyo: How Hibakusha are Shaping a Nuclear-Free future? (Nobel Peace Prize 2024)

Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, the podcast where we break down groundbreaking research, pioneering achievements, and the stories shaping our world. Today, we explore the inspiring and deeply moving Nobel Peace Prize 2024, awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots movement composed of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Known as Hibakusha, these survivors have turned their unimaginable pain into a global mission: to rid the world of nuclear weapons forever. For nearly 80 years, the Hibakusha have shared their stories, raising awareness about the catastrophic humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons. Their voices have helped solidify the "nuclear taboo"—the understanding that such weapons must never be used again. Through their tireless efforts, they’ve helped build a powerful international norm against nuclear warfare, but today, as nuclear powers modernize their arsenals and geopolitical tensions rise, their mission is more urgent than ever. As we delve into the remarkable journey of Nihon Hidankyo, we’ll ask: How can the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki shape our future, and what role will new generations play in preserving this nuclear taboo? Let’s thank the Hibakusha and Nihon Hidankyo for their unwavering commitment, and The Norwegian Nobel Committee for recognizing this vital cause that touches the very heart of humanity’s survival. References Nobel Peace Prize 2024 – Nihon Hidankyo. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Fri. 11 Oct 2024. https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel-peace-prize-2024-nihon-hidankyo/ Naono, A. (2019). The origins of 'hibakusha' as a scientific and political classification of the survivor. Japanese Studies, 39(3), 333-352. Sanders-Zakre, A. (2023). Nuclear bodies: the global Hibakusha.