Hello everyone. My name is Hanako Ariyoshi. I’m an undergraduate student at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagasaki University.

As I was brought up in Nagasaki, every summer in both primary and secondary school, I used to learn about the history of Nagasaki and joined peace events held in school. We had opportunities to listen to the voices of the victims of the atomic bomb, and all the stories were so real, sad, and unforgettable. They were really trying to tell us “No more war, never!”

I went to a high school in Saga prefecture, and that was the time I realized that many of my friends from other prefectures did not know much about the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. I was very shocked to know that, and I strongly felt that I had to do something as a citizen of Nagasaki to help spread information and knowledge about what happened in the previous war. Victims of the atomic bomb are getting old year by year, and I feel it is our role to pass on their messages to peers and younger generations.

Now that I am a college student, I am happy participating in various peace activities. I also got motivated to join peace activities by seeing the devastated situation of people in the Ukraine War. I am now learning that there are many people and areas exposed to the fear of nuclear weapons in the current world, and that the issue of elimination of nuclear weapons is very complicated. But it is an issue that affects everyone in the world. It is about our future. I would like to obtain more knowledge and skills to be able to join discussions for peace with other young people not only in Japan but also in the world. As a member of the Nagasaki Youth Delegation, I am interested in establishing a wider network of youth with peers from other countries.

“No one is too small to make a difference”-Greta Thunberg.

I believe in this phrase. I wish to do my best.

I am Asumi Imaoka, a first-year student in the Faculty of Environmental Science at Nagasaki University. I was born in Tokyo and raised in Fukuoka.

When I was a high school student, I got interests in various social issues through extracurricular activities. I realized that I thought that war and nuclear issues were somehow old and distant stories for me, and did not see them as my problems. However, I learned about the humanitarian crises that have been going on for a long time or that have begun to occur again, and when I came to Nagasaki, I saw with my own eyes the traces of war and the atomic bombing that had robbed people of their peaceful lives. These experiences have helped me to gradually begin to see the issues of war and nuclear weapons as issues that are happening now and that are relevant to me.

One goal I would like to achieve through the activities of the Nagasaki Youth Delegation is to learn about war and nuclear issues not as “history” but as “issues that are happening now” and to share what I have learned with many people.

I would like to learn war and nuclear issues from various perspectives as a person who lives in the place where no wars are happening now.

And as a student who studies environmental science, I also would like to learn about their effects on animals and the natural environment.

And I hereby pledge to be a member of creating a truly peaceful world.

Hello! My name is Tatsuhito Kaji, a second-year student at Nagasaki University’s Faculty of SGHSS. I was born in Osaka Prefecture and moved to Nagasaki Prefecture when I entered the university. Even though I am from Osaka, my hometown is in the countryside, so I was surprised at how big Hakata was. I like the phrase, “Miracles do not just happen, but you make them happen!” Miracles do not happen by doing nothing. You can always get something by acting. As a result of people around the world continuing to move forward, even in small movements, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was said to be impossible, entered into force on January 22, 2021. Although there are some who argue that the treaty is meaningless because it has not been ratified by industrially advanced countries and nuclear-weapon states, it can at least be said that the hurdle for the use of nuclear weapons has been dramatically raised by the treaty’s entry into force. Japan currently has no formally established peace studies program. Unless you grew up in Nagasaki or Hiroshima Prefecture, nuclear weapons are only briefly mentioned in history textbooks. As a native of Osaka Prefecture, I moved to Nagasaki Prefecture and felt the gap in awareness of nuclear weapons. It is a small step, a small action, but I would like to share the activities of the Nagasaki Youth Delegation with as many people as possible to eliminate this gap and realize the abolition of nuclear weapons, which is said to be impossible. Thank you for your cooperation.

Hello. I am Kazuha Suehiro, a first-year student in the School of Global Humanities and Social Science, SGHSS at Nagasaki University. I was born and raised in Hiroshima, an atomic bombed city. I came to Nagasaki when I entered university. In Hiroshima, I had many opportunities to hear about the A-bomb and war experiences, and those are my motivation to engage in peace activities which I could do to help eliminate war and nuclear weapons. What left a particularly strong impression on me was my participation as a volunteer staff member of the “Gathering for Peace,” an event held by Pope Francis in Hiroshima. It was held when I was a first-year high school student. Seeing the Pope give a speech to the world made me want to share what I had learned and thought with more people. Also, I want to be able to create opportunities for people to think about peace. Even though I don’t have as much influence as the Pope, I believe that I can convey something important because I am a student who was raised and studied in the A-bombed city. As a member of Nagasaki Youth Delegation, I will learn about nuclear weapons and world situation through fieldwork and meetings. I will learn how world leaders view the current world situation by attending international conferences. I would like to share the knowledge that I have gained, our feelings and thoughts through activities. I would like to share what I learned and what I felt and thought by delivering peace lectures, exchanging opinions with ambassadors of other countries, updating SNS, and giving presentations.

Hello everyone. I’m Chinami Hirabayashi and I belong to the department of education at Nagasaki University. I was born and raised in Nagasaki as a grandchild of atomic bomb victim, and I received peace education at elementary, junior high and high school. Also, I studied atomic bomb and international affairs and exchanged opinions with students of various faculties at university. Then I realized that not every student gets peace education and understands what happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima 78 years ago even in Japan which is the only nation to have suffered atomic bombings. I was really surprised and shocked. At the same time, I also knew that I could not tell the horror of nuclear weapons correctly. In addition to this, there is a risk of another use of nuclear weapons under the tense situation. Therefore, I made up my mind to act for achieving nuclear weapons free world. This is the reason why I decided to become a member of Nagasaki Youth Delegation. As a member of the 11th NYD, I would like to tell the importance of peace as many people as possible with my teammates. Thank you for your cooperation.

Hello. My name is Noa Yasumoto. I’m the sophomore in the Faculty of International Cultural Studies at Kwassui Women’s University. I am from Nagasaki and my grandparents were atomic bomb survivors, so I have been interested in peace activities since I was a child. I thought that even if I could not do something on my own, I could take a step toward a nuclear-free world by working together with people who have same ambition with diverse ideas. I am happy to be able to work as a member of the 11th Nagasaki Youth Delegation.

In peace activities, I think it is important to build equal relationships with people of different nationalities, religions, and ways of thinking. As long as we are on equal footing, we can solve problems through discussion rather than force, I think. However, there are countries in the world that possess nuclear weapons, countries that do not possess nuclear weapons, and countries that are protected by the “nuclear umbrella”. Countries that do not possess nuclear weapons or are protected by the “nuclear umbrella” are constantly threatened by nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are harmful to human beings, and there is no advantage to possessing nuclear weapons. However, there are many people in the world who believe that nuclear weapons are necessary. Therefore, it may take many years to achieve a world without nuclear weapons, but if we do not take action, this situation will not change and there may be more A-bombed cities following Nagasaki. Not only our activities, I think it is also important to lower the hurdles to peace activities. As a member of 11th Nagasaki Youth Delegation, also as a student and a young generation living in Nagasaki, I will seek to create impetus for peace activities, and as well as, I myself will seriously face this issue, deepen my knowledge and thoughts, and not only keep them to myself but also share and convey them with others.

My name is Sakura Yamamoto. I’m a first-year student at School of Global Humanities and Social Sciences, Nagasaki University. I was born and grew up in Fukuoka city.

To be honest, I had no interests in nuclear issues when I was in high school. However, the Russian invasion made me realize that I had taken peace for granted and I shouldn’t ignore war issues.
In addition, through peace education at university, I realized how little I knew about war problems. Learning the horrors of wars from bombing victims and their families in Nagasaki, I gradually came to think that I’d like to participate in peace activities.

Another reason why I became a member of Nagasaki Youth delegation is that the number of people who have experienced WWII has been dramatically decreasing. Therefore, young generations should succeed their desire: no more hibakusha/bombing victims. If we don’t make any actions now, their voice will be lost, and the tragedy of the atomic bombing may be repeated.

As a member of Nagasaki Youth Delegation, I will do my best to realize a world without nuclear weapons.