Amb. Dhanapala visited Japan, as a Presdient of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, for the first time from July 31 to Aug. 10. 2008. The trip was sponsored by Hiroshima Peace Institute of Hiroshima City University, The Japanese Congress Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (GENSUIKIN), Hiroshima University, and Pugwash Japan.
He was invited to speak at several international conferences, including the International Symposium organized by Hiroshima Peace Institute and Annual Meeting organized by the GENSUIKIN. He also attended Peace Memorial Ceremony held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6th and 9th respectively. He also delivered a speech on “Achieving the Vision of a Nuclear Weapon-Free World” to students at Hiroshima City University and Hiroshima University. He also had good meetings with Mayors of Hiroshima (Mr. Akiba) and Nagasaki (Mr. Taue) as well as meetings with Hibakusha, high-school students who organized a “10,000 Peace Signature Campaign” and once visited Amb. Dhanapala in UN in New York.
In Tokyo, he met with key senior politicians and government officials, such as Mr. Satsuki Eda of Chairperson of Upper House of Japanese Parliament and Mr. Toshio Sano, Director of Disarmament and Non-proliferation Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Besides, he also had important private meetings with his old friends, including Amb. Kuniko Inoguchi, Amb. Yasushi Akashi. Of course, he had enjoyable dinner and meetings with Japan Pugwash group and Student and Young Pugwash members of Japan.
Finally, he was interviewed by many local and nationwide newspapers, and made important statements on nuclear disarmament, including strong criticism against India-US nuclear cooperation. In particular, his message was video-taped and now featured on You-tube, thanks to efforts made by a Japanese NGO, “Peace Depot”.
His whole trip was filmed by the documentary film team led by Mr. Bob Frye who accompanied Amb. Dhanapala throughout the trip. The film crew was helped and assisted by Ms. Claudianna Blanco. His special assistant, Ms. Minuka de Silva, also accompanied him as his assistant. We thank all people involved who made Amb. Dhanapala’s trip so successful and fruitful.
The following is the itinerary of Amb. Dhanapala.
| July 31 (Thurs) |
Arrival from Sri Lanka in Hiroshima |
| Aug. 1 (Fri) |
Meeting with Mayor of Hiroshima (Mr Tadatoshi Akiba) |
| Aug. 2 (Sat) |
International Symposium organized by Hiroshima Peace Institute of Hiroshima City University http://serv.peace.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp/English/index.htm |
| Aug. 3 (Sun) |
Meeting with Japanese NGOs, Dinner meeting with Japan Pugwash Group |
| Aug. 4 (Mon) |
Breakfast meeting with Prof. Takashi Inoguchi and Amb. Kuniko Inoguchi
Meeting with Mr. Satsuki Eda, Chairperson of Upper House, with Mr. Toshio Ogawa (Democratic Party of Japan)
Lunch meeting with Mr. Toshio Sano, Director, Disarmament and Non-proliferation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Meeting with Amb. Sadaki Numata, Director of Center for Global Partnership
Meeting with Amb. Takaya Suto, Director, Center for Disarmament and Non-proliferation, Japan Institute for International Affairs
Dinner meeting with Student and Young Pugwash Japan
|
| Aug. 5 (Tues) |
Meeting with Amb. Yasushi Akashi
Meeting with Hibakusha
Reception Dinner by Mayor of Hiroshima
Reception for International Network of Universities (INU) 2008 Student Seminar
|
| Aug. 6 (Wed) |
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
Intensive Summer Course in Hiroshima City University: HIROSHIMA and PEACE
|
| Aug 7 (Thurs) |
Key Note Speech for INU Student Seminar at Hiroshima University
Lunch with Prof. Ninomiya, Prof. Sato, Prof. Shinoda, Prof. Nishitani and Prof. Kawasaki of Hiroshima University, Institute for Peace Science
Visit Hiroshima University Archives
|
| Aug. 8 (Fri) |
Speech at GENSUIKIN Annual Meeting in Nagasaki
Meeting with High-school students who organized “10,000 peace campaign”
Meeting with Mayor of Nagasaki city (Mr. Tomihisa Taue)
Meeting with Hibakusha
Reception Dinner by Mayor of Nagasaki
|
| Aug. 9 (Sat) |
Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony
Visit to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum etc.
|
| Aug. 10 (Sun) |
Leave Fukuoka Airport for Sri-Lanka |
Summary of Newspaper articles on Amb. Dhanapala's visit
Asahi Shimbun (2008/08/09) Nagasaki version
"Former UN Assistant Secretary Met with High-School Students: 'Small drop can create a stream'"
On August 8, 2008, Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala, President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, met with about 30 high-school students who organized "10,000 signatures campaign" at a peace gathering in Nagasaki-city. High-school students reported their recent activities including making a DVD film of interviews with Hibaku-sha Amb.Dhanapala first met with the students in 1998 when he was an Assistant Secretary on Disarmament at UN. At the meeting, he gave an advice saying, "A small drop of water, like their movement, can create a major stream flowing into the sea. The world leaders should listen to their voice."
Nagasaki Shimbun, (2008/8/9)
"President of Pugwash visited Mayor Taue"
On August 8th, Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala, President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, visited Mayor Taue of Nagasaki City. He told the Mayor that he remembered visits by the high-school students from Nagasaki and that he was very impressed by their expanding activities now to S. Korea and Philippines. He also mentioned US-India Nuclear Energy Cooperation agreement, and said, "It is important for the Mayor of Nagasaki to express his opposition to the agreement now." The mayor responded positively and said he planned to visit NPT review conference in 2010.
Mainichi Shimbun (2008/08/10) Nagasaki version
"Amb. Dhanapla: I learned the importance of 'small power' from high-school students, Change your perception toward Peace"
On Aug 9th, Amb. Dhanapala, President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, attended the Nagasaki Peace Memorial. Mr. Dhanapala met with high-school students organizing "10,000 peace signature campaign" at UN in 1998 and 99, when he gave an advice that they should visit Geneve where disarmament meetings are often held. High-school students then visited Geneve later and now expanded their activities to S. Korea and the Philippines. This time, he met with those high-school students again and was asked what the most important thing for nuclear disarmament was. He answered; "Nuclear disarmament is very important. But that alone is not enough. People's perception must change to achieve real Peace." In his home country, where anti-government organization (LTTB) has been fighting against the government and he was personally involved in peace negotiation. He said, "We lost many important friends. But I believe we can achieve peace eventually. I learned a lot from the students' message 'we are small but not powerless.'"
Nagasaki Shimbun (2008/08/10)
"Interview with Amb. Dhanapala: If enacted, this would be the beginning of the end of NPT regime"
Amb. Dhanapala, now President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, express his serious concern over the proposed India-US nuclear energy cooperation agreement. If this agreement is enacted, he says, it could be the beginning of the end of the NPT regime. He criticized the agreement, saying that the agreement give right of civil use of peaceful energy without any constraints on the country which developed atomic bomb. He also said that under the agreement, it is not clear whether the agreement would be stopped when India conduct nuclear test again. He hoped that the Japanese government would express clear opposition to the agreement.
For nuclear disarmament, recent initiative by four wise-men is very significant and says US leadership is critically important. He expresses his optimism that the new Administration might ratify the CTBT which could lead to positive chain reaction. He was also very impressed by the nuclear disarmament activities by the Nagasaki city and prefectures, including high-school students' campaign.
