Survivors Of Japan Nuke Blasts Slam Putin's Bragging About Russ Nukes

Survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki expressed outrage over President Vladimir Putin’s boast of his nation’s nuclear capabilities as Russia went to war against neighboring Ukraine, Tabito Fukutomi, Roppei Tsuda and Shohei Okada reported for Asahi Shimbun.

Photo Insert: Nagasaki Peace Statue

In a veiled warning to the United States and its allies not to intervene in the conflict, Putin reminded the world that Russia was a major nuclear power.

“I cannot but feel a real sense of danger at the light manner in which he made that statement,” said Hiromu Morishita, 91. He was joined by other hibakusha organizations in condemning Putin for his comment.

Hibakusha organizations also weighed in on Putin’s comment. “It is unforgivable that he (Putin) is using nuclear weapons as a tool to threaten others,” said Terumi Tanaka, 89, who co-chairs Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) and survived the Aug. 9, 1945 bombing of Nagasaki.

Any war that involves the use of nuclear weapons poses the risk of mankind’s destruction, Tanaka said.

Tomoyuki Mimaki, 79, who took over as head of the association of A- and H-bomb sufferers in Hiroshima Prefecture after longtime incumbent Sunao Tsuboi died last year at age 96, said poignantly: “The pleas we have been making are not reaching the world. We must have more people understand the realities of nuclear weapons for our message to have an effect.”

Kunihiko Sakuma, 77, who heads another organization of Hiroshima hibakusha, said, “(Putin) has absolutely no understanding of how awful nuclear weapons are.”

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