広島市原爆死没者慰霊式並びに平和祈念式における知事あいさつについて

広島市原爆死没者慰霊式並びに平和祈念式における知事あいさつについて

　毎年８月６日，広島市において，原爆死没者の霊を慰め，世界の恒久平和を祈念するための式典が執り行われています。
　令和元年８月６日に実施された式典における広島県知事の「あいさつ」は次のとおりです。

  【あ  い  さ  つ】

　原爆犠牲者の御霊(みたま)に，広島県民を代表して，謹んで哀悼の誠(まこと)を捧げますとともに，今なお，後遺症で苦しんでおられる被爆者や，ご遺族の方々に，心からお見舞い申し上げます。

　74年前，この地は原爆によりあらゆるものも人も破壊され尽くしました。

　しかし，絶望的な廃墟の中，広島市民は直後から立ち上がりました。水道や電車をすぐに復旧し，焼け残りでバラックを建てて街の再建を始めたのです。市民の懸命の努力と内外の支援により，街は不死鳥のごとく甦ります。今，繁栄する広島には，国内外の多くのお客様で賑い，街の姿は，紛争後の廃墟から立ち上がろうとしている国々から訪れる若者に，復興への希望を与えています。

　しかしながら，私たちは，このような復興の光の陰にあるものを見失わないようにしなければなりません。緑豊かなこの平和公園の下に，あるいはその川の中に，一瞬にして焼き尽くされた多くの無辜の人々の骨が，無念の魂が埋まっています。かろうじて生き残っても，父母兄弟を奪われた孤児となり，あるいは街の再生のため家を追われ，傷に塩を塗るような差別にあい，放射線被ばくによる病気を抱え今なおその影におびえる，原爆のためにせずともよかった，筆舌に尽くし難い苦難を抱えてきた人が数多くいらっしゃいます。被爆者にとって，74年経とうとも，原爆による被害は過去のものではないのです。

　そのように思いを巡らせるとき，とても単純な疑問が心に浮かびます。

　なぜ，74年経っても癒えることのない傷を残す核兵器を特別に保有し，かつ事あらば使用するぞと他(た)を脅(おど)すことが許される国があるのか。

　それは，広島と長崎で起きた，赤子も女性も若者も，区別なくすべて命を奪うような惨劇を繰り返しても良い，ということですが，それは本当に許されることなのでしょうか。

　核兵器の取扱いを巡る間違いは現実として数多くあり，保有自体危険だというのが，米国国防長官経験者の証言です。近年では核システムへのサイバー攻撃も脅威です。持ったもの勝ち，というのであれば，持ちたい人を押しとどめるのは難しいのではないでしょうか。

　明らかな危険を目の前にして，「これが国際社会の現実だ」というのは，「現実」という言葉の持つ賢そうな響きに隠れ，実のところは「現実逃避」しているだけなのではないでしょうか。

　核兵器不使用を絶対的に保証するのは，廃絶以外にありません。しかし変化を生むにはエネルギーが必要です。ましてや，大国による核兵器保有の現実を変えるため，具体的に責任ある行動を起こすことは，大いなる勇気が必要です。

　唯一，戦争被爆の惨劇をくぐり抜けた我々日本人にこそ，そのエネルギーと勇気があると信じています。それは無念にも犠牲になった人々に対する責任でもあります。核兵器を廃絶し，将来世代の誰もが幸せで心豊かに暮らせるよう，我々責任ある現世代が行動していこうではありませんか。広島県としても，被爆75年に向けて，具体的行動を進めたいと思います。

　結びに，今なお苦しみが続き，高齢化も進む国内外の被爆者への援護が更に充実するよう全力を尽くすことを改めてここに誓い，平和へのメッセージといたします。

令和元年8月6日

広島県知事　湯崎　英彦

【Peace Message】

On behalf of the people of Hiroshima Prefecture, I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in the atomic bombing. I would also like to offer my condolences to the bereaved families and express my deepest sympathies to the hibakusha, the atomic bomb survivors, who even today suffer from the aftereffects of the bomb.

Seventy-four years ago，everything here in Hiroshima was completely destroyed by the atomic bomb and so were the people living here.

Immediately after the bombing, however, the people of Hiroshima rose up from the ashes and debris of nuclear destruction. They quickly restored water supply facilities and streetcar tracks and built barracks with whatever materials remained in areas swept by the flames. As a result of residents’ untiring efforts and support from both inside and outside Japan, Hiroshima came back to life just like a phoenix. Today, many tourists visit this thriving city from around the world. The views of the revived city inspire many visitors, particularly young people from regions suffering armed conflicts, giving them hope for post-conflict reconstruction.

However, we must not overlook what lies beneath this thriving city. Underneath the lush greenery here in Peace Memorial Park, and below the riverbed, lie the bones of many innocent people whose bodies were burned away in a moment and whose souls are grieving forever. Even those who managed to survive the bombing had to endure extreme hardships that are beyond description. Many were orphaned when their parents and siblings were killed in the bombing, were forced to leave their homes under the city’s reconstruction programs, or suffered discrimination, which indeed rubbed salt into their wounds. Even today, they suffer from the lingering effects of radiation, most notably in the form of various diseases. If not for the atomic bombing, these people would have been free from such adversities. Even after 74 years, the atomic bombing continues to torment these hibakusha.

While thinking these thoughts, a simple question came up in my mind.

Why are some countries allowed to possess nuclear weapons that can inflict a trauma that remains incurable for 74 years or more? Why are they allowed to threaten other countries to use their nuclear arsenals?

Use of a nuclear weapon would result in another calamity  like the ones that happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki . A calamity in which people were killed indiscriminately, including babies, women, and young people. Is it really permissible to cause such a catastrophe?

A former U.S. Secretary of Defense once testified that simply possessing nuclear weapons was dangerous since there had been many incidents involving mishandling of the weapons. Today, we face yet another risk: possible cyberattacks on nuclear systems. If we believe that states that possess nuclear weapons are the winners, it would be extremely difficult to stop nuclear proliferation.

In face of this obvious peril, some people still say that this is the reality of today’s international society. Although these people use the term “reality,” which makes their remarks sound intelligent, in fact they are only escaping from true reality.

The only means to absolutely ensure that nuclear weapons are never used is nuclear abolition. There are no other options. To realize nuclear abolition, however, we need sufficient energy. Moreover, we need great courage to take concrete and responsible actions to change the reality of global powers possessing nuclear weapons.

I do believe that we Japanese, as the people in the only country to have suffered the catastrophe of wartime nuclear bombing, have that energy and courage. I also believe that realizing nuclear abolition is our duty to all victims and hibakusha. It is the duty of our generation to work together to abolish nuclear weapons and leave for future generations a peaceful world where everyone can lead a happy and spiritually enriched life. With this in mind, Hiroshima Prefecture will take concrete actions toward next year’s 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing.

I would like to conclude my message of peace by pledging here today to do my best to enhance our support for the aging hibakusha living both inside and outside Japan, who are still suffering from the aftereffects of the bombing so long ago.

August 6, 2019

Hidehiko Yuzaki

Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture