"We demand that the nuclear weapons states that have not yet renounced the nuclear first-strike policy should do so immediately and that they should pledge not to use their nuclear weapons," the declaration said.

The declaration denounced the United States, saying, "In defiance of the voices calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the U.S. government is preparing scenarios to launch nuclear first-strikes in pursuit of its hegemonic objectives."

It concluded with the words, "Bearing in mind that nuclear violence cannot help but lead humankind to catastrophe, let us unite our efforts for and move forward to a peaceful world set free of nuclear weapons."

Gensuikyo, backed by the Japanese Communist Party, is scheduled to hold another three-day conference from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday in Hiroshima and another conference Thursday and Friday in Nagasaki.

Meanwhile, the Japan Congress Against A and H Bombs (Gensuikin), a rival group, is scheduled to open a three-day conference Sunday evening in Hiroshima.

Gensuikin is backed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Japan's largest labor group.