Protest letter against the Russia subcritical nuclear test (December 10, 1998)

December 10, 1998

The Honorable Nikolaevich Boris Yeltsin
The President
The Russian Federation

His Excellency Mr.Alexander Nikolaevich Panov
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Russian Federation
Embassy of the Russian Federation in Japan

Letter of Protest

It has become clear that your country conducted a subcritical nuclear test on the island of Novaya Zemlya on December 8 . I am outraged by this contravening of international public opinion seeking the abolition of nuclear weapons,and on behalf of the people of Hiroshima, I vehemently protest.

By conducting this test you have, like the United States, made clear your intention to continue possessing nuclear weapons indefinitely. To avoid provoking further nuclear proliferation and to respond to the wishes of an international community demanding to live in a world free from nuclear weapons,Russia should immediately halt its subcritical nuclear testing and,accepting its duty as a nuclear power, should work actively and positively for nuclear disarmament. At the same time, you and all of the nuclear powers should make every effort to build a community of nations that assures national security without relying on nuclear weapons.

Takashi Hiraoka
Mayor of Hiroshima