Prime Minister Mori to explore medical support for North Korean A-bomb Survivors

8/7/00

Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony, gave a press interview at a hotel in Hiroshima City on the 6th. At the interview, he clarified his view that Japan should study the best way to give medical assistance to A-bomb survivors of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (North Korea).

Regarding medical assistance to North Korean A-bomb survivors, Prime Minister Mori stated, "Depending on the conditions, I intend to study what kind of aid we can provide, including medical treatment and other humanitarian aid." A movement toward normalizing diplomatic relations has been materializing, including meetings of foreign ministers from Japan and Korea, and it now seems that Japan may engage in a discussion of aid to A-bomb survivors living in North Korea. Until now, this issue has been left to private organizations.

Concerning medical treatment in Japan for overseas A-bomb survivors, the Prime Minister said after the interview while chatting with the representative of the survivors, "Since it is not possible for them to come to Japan without money, I think inviting them would be inhospitable. I'll see what we can do."

Referring to the final document adopted by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in May, the Prime Minister made the following assessment, "By agreeing to an 'unequivocal undertaking' to abolish nuclear weapons, the five nations possessing nuclear arms admit there is a real problem, and this advances the cause of abolishing nuclear weapons."

Moreover, he renewed a promise to "submit a new resolution to abolish nuclear weapons" at the United Nations Millennium General Assembly this fall, and emphasized his intention to take a leading role in abolishing nuclear weapons.

[Caption] Prime Minister Mori giving an interview after attending the Peace Memorial Ceremony. (Photo taken at a hotel in Hiroshima)

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