Protest letter against the U.S. subcritical nuclear test (July 3, 1997)

July 3, 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

It is deeply regrettable that today, ignoring repeated requests from the city of Hiroshima and A-bomb survivor groups, your country willfully conducted a subcritical nuclear test. I strongly protest this action.

Because this test is not accompanied by a nuclear explosion, it is not subject to the provisions of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) adopted by the UN General Assembly last year. Because it was conducted with the intent of maintaining nuclear weapons, however, and could therefore reignite the nuclear arms race, I feel a sense of impending crisis. Furthermore, the test will endanger the effectuation of the CTBT, increase the danger of nuclear proliferation, and negatively impact nuclear disarmament.

I ask your nation, as well as the other nuclear powers, sincerely heed international public opinion seeking a world free of nuclear weapons, as exemplified by the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in July 1996, the adoption of the CTBT by the UN General Assembly in September of that year, and the UN Resolution "Request for Negotiations on a Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons." Please work for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Takashi Hiraoka
Mayor
Hiroshima City