Protest letter against the U.S. previous announcement of subcritical nuclear test (August 28, 1997)

August 28, 1997

The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
The President
U.S.A

His Excellency Mr.Rust M. Deming
Charge of Affairs at Interim of
U.S. Embassy in Japan

Letter of Protest

A spokesperson for the Department of Energy has announced that in mid September the United States will conduct a second round of sub-critical nuclear weapons tests using plutonium, in Nevada. I furiously protest the attitude of your country in willfully carrying out this test, ignoring the international call for an immediate halt to sub-critical nuclear testing.

Your country vociferously asserts that because these tests are not accompanied by nuclear explosions, they do not violate the provisions of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). However, this attitude will endanger the effectiveness of the CTBT still further, and could initiate a nuclear arms race once more.

I strongly urge you to understand that it is incumbent on the United States as a nuclear power to heed international opinion calling for nuclear disarmament, immediately cease sub-critical nuclear weapons testing, and earnestly pursue the total abolition of nuclear weapons.

Takashi Hiraoka
Mayor
Hiroshima City