The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organisations, known as Nihon Hidankyo, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its decades-long effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The honour comes just before the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and amidst a renewed global focus on the potential threat posed by nuclear arms.

The Nobel committee commended Nihon Hidankyo for raising global awareness of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons.

Through personal testimonies of hibakusha—survivors of the atomic bombings in August 1945—the group has played a key role in fostering global opposition to the use and proliferation of nuclear arms. The committee highlighted that the testimonies of these survivors have made the incomprehensible suffering caused by nuclear weapons more tangible to the world.

“The hibakusha help us to describe the indescribable, to think the unthinkable, and to somehow grasp the incomprehensible pain and suffering caused by nuclear weapons,” said the Nobel committee.

“The dream came true!”

The prize came as a big surprise, says Masako Wada, a representative from the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo, which works to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.

In this interview shortly after learning about the 2024 #NobelPeacePrize, she… pic.twitter.com/MHdnuqT5rM

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 11, 2024

Toshiyuki Mimaki, the 81-year-old co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, expressed deep gratitude for the prize, seeing it as a powerful boost to the organisation’s ongoing mission.

“It would be a great force to appeal to the world that the abolition of nuclear weapons can be achieved,” Mimaki stated. He stressed the necessity of eliminating nuclear weapons entirely, rejecting the argument that their existence ensures peace.

While Nihon Hidankyo continues to advocate for a nuclear-free world, the Nobel committee warned that the international taboo against nuclear weapons, in place since the end of World War II, is under strain.

The ongoing war in Ukraine has heightened concerns, with Russian President Vladimir Putin refusing to rule out the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Simultaneously, North Korea continues to develop its nuclear arsenal, raising global alarms.

Japan’s Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, welcomed the award, calling it “extremely meaningful” for the country and the global anti-nuclear movement. However, Japan’s dependency on the US nuclear umbrella, alongside its refusal to sign a 2021 treaty banning nuclear weapons, may lead some to see the prize as a subtle critique of its current policies.

Mimaki also drew a powerful parallel between the suffering of Japanese children in 1945 and the current situation for children in Gaza. He expressed disbelief at winning the prize, saying, “I thought the prize would go to those working hard in Gaza,” and added: “In Gaza, bleeding children are being held [by their parents]. It’s like Japan 80 years ago.”

His emotional comparison to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has sparked debate, with Israel’s ambassador to Japan, Gilad Cohen, condemning the statement as “outrageous and baseless.”

Cohen asserted that such comparisons distort history and dishonour victims of the ongoing conflict with Hamas, a militant group designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel and many Western countries.

Cohen, while congratulating Nihon Hidankyo on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his concerns.

I congratulate Nihon Hidankyo on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing their work for peace and justice. However, co-chair Toshiyuki Mimaki's comparison of Gaza to Japan after WWII is outrageous and baseless. Gaza is ruled by Hamas, a murderous terrorist organization… pic.twitter.com/7TXD9f0zQ2

— Gilad Cohen 🇮🇱🎗️ (@GiladCohen_) October 12, 2024

He criticised the comparison drawn by Mimaki, saying, “Gaza is ruled by Hamas, a murderous terrorist organisation committing a double war crime: targeting Israeli civilians, including women and children, while using its own people as human shields.”

He added that such comparisons “distort history and dishonour the victims” of the October 2023 Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israeli civilians.

Despite the criticism, Mimaki’s remarks have focused global attention on the broader humanitarian impacts of war, particularly on children and civilians, a topic that resonates with Nihon Hidankyo’s core message against the destructive capacity of nuclear arms.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to escalate, with Palestinian health authorities reporting a death toll of over 42,000 since Israeli airstrikes began, the majority of the victims being civilians, including women and children.

The destruction of infrastructure, homes, and essential services in Gaza has drawn widespread international concern amid an ongoing case in the International Court of Justice, in which South Africa has accused Israel of genocide, stating that the claim is plausible.

Mimaki’s remarks, however, stand within a broader context of his anti-war advocacy. Speaking at the press conference after the award was announced, he reiterated the need for global disarmament and a focus on humanitarian concerns.

“Nuclear weapons should absolutely be abolished,” he said. “The idea that they bring peace is a fallacy. They can be used by terrorists, and if that happens, it will not end there.”

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, with victims suffering from radiation sickness, burns, and other injuries long after the initial blasts.

Today, the official death toll stands at 344,306 in Hiroshima and 198,785 in Nagasaki, according to Japan’s health ministry. Survivors, many of whom are now elderly, have been dedicated to ensuring that the horrors of nuclear warfare are never repeated.

Despite the passage of nearly 80 years, the hibakusha continue to advocate against the possession and use of nuclear weapons.

As the number of survivors dwindles, their legacy is carried forward by organisations like Nihon Hidankyo, which is committed to preserving their message for future generations.

“One day, the hibakusha will no longer be among us as witnesses to history,” the Nobel committee remarked. “But with a strong culture of remembrance, new generations are continuing their mission.”

US President Joe Biden has urged Israel to immediately stop firing at United Nations peacekeepers during the ongoing conflict with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Biden described his request as “absolutely, positively” necessary, following two incidents in Lebanon that left four UN soldiers injured.

On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that its troops were responsible for an incident involving two Sri Lankan soldiers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

According to the IDF, its soldiers detected a threat near the UNIFIL base in Naqoura, prompting them to open fire. The IDF stated that the incident would undergo investigation “at the highest levels” to determine the circumstances and prevent similar occurrences.

The previous day, on Thursday, two Indonesian UNIFIL soldiers were injured when an Israeli tank fired at an observation tower, causing the soldiers to fall.

UN peacekeeping officials, including Jean-Pierre Lacroix, expressed concerns that some of the firing on UN positions appeared to be direct, though they did not specify the responsible party.

The situation has drawn international criticism, with the leaders of France, Italy, and Spain issuing a joint statement condemning Israel’s actions as “unjustifiable” and demanding an immediate cessation.

Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry also condemned the IDF attack, emphasising the need for accountability.

Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah has escalated significantly in recent weeks, following an Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

The invasion was said by Israel to be prompted by ongoing rocket fire from Hezbollah, which began in October of the previous year in retaliation to the ongoing massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. The cross-border exchanges have led to substantial casualties and destruction on both sides.

The IDF reported that approximately 100 rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel within 30 minutes on Friday, with two unmanned aerial vehicles also crossing the border.

One of the UAVs was intercepted, according to Israeli sources. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed that three individuals, including a two-year-old girl, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the city of Sidon. The Lebanese army reported that two of its soldiers were killed when Israeli forces targeted a post in Kafra.

The humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon has worsened as a result of the intensified conflict.

In Beirut, rescue workers have been working to recover bodies and aid survivors following two Israeli airstrikes that struck the city on Thursday. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated that these strikes resulted in 22 civilian deaths and over 100 injuries, criticising Israel for carrying out the attacks without warning.

Amidst this, the UNIFIL mission continues its operations in Lebanon, with about 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 countries patrolling the area between the Litani River and the Blue Line—the UN-recognised boundary between Lebanon and Israel. Despite Israeli calls for UNIFIL forces to move 5 kilometres northward to avoid danger, Jean-Pierre Lacroix indicated that peacekeepers would maintain their positions.

In the Gaza Strip, a separate conflict persists between Israeli forces and Hamas.

He also expressed alarm over the escalating violence in Lebanon.

“What we are witnessing in Lebanon is a massive operation which strikes, heavy bombardments, obviously also with bombardments from the Hezbollah side, but that are causing dramatic number of civilians being killed,” he said.

Reports indicate that more than 2,000 people have been killed, and over one million have been displaced.

“We see an enormous tragedy in Lebanon, and we must do everything to avoid an all-out war In Lebanon,” Mr. Guterres added.

On Friday, at least 30 people were reported killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting the Jabalia town and refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency. The IDF have not commented on these strikes.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that “thousands are trapped” in the Jabalia refugee camp, including some of its staff members.

MSF highlighted that Israeli forces issued evacuation orders on 7 October but continued attacks simultaneously, complicating the evacuation efforts. The al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia is facing a critical shortage of fuel, food, and medical supplies, warned Dr Mohammed Salha, its acting director.

Speaking at a press stakeout during the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, the capital of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Secretary-General António Guterres “condemned the fact that there was shooting against the UN premises, wounding two peacekeepers, which is a violation of international humanitarian law.”

“Peacekeepers must be protected by all parties of the conflict, and what has happened is obviously condemnable.”

Israel has argued that its intensified operations in northern Gaza are aimed at neutralising Hamas fighters regrouping in the area. However, these operations have resulted in heavy casualties and further strained humanitarian conditions in the densely populated region.

Lebanon has experienced significant loss of life in the escalating hostilities with Israel, with over 2,000 people reported dead and many more displaced. Israeli officials have also reported casualties, including two civilians and a Thai national killed by Hezbollah rocket fire in northern Israel.

Hezbollah has stated that it would cease its attacks if a truce is reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.