(May 13, 1998, The Chugoku Shimbun)

India's nuclear tests might turn the world to go for a nuclear arms race. On 12 May 1998, a day after India conducted the first nuclear test underground in 24 years, voices of anger raised not only in Hiroshima but all over the prefecture. Hiroshima prefecture, 13 cities and citizens' groups sent a letter of protest to the embassy of India to Japan in rapid succession.

During the course of world's efforts toward nuclear disarmament, India willfully conducted nuclear tests. Mayor of Kure City Tamiya Ogasawara pointed out "India's act will make a difficult situation regarding the enactment of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)." Mayor of Miyoshi City Yoshito Fukuoka said in the letter, "India's test was a violent act to trample the feelings of the people of Hiroshima where the atomic bomb was dropped for the first time in man's history. Therefore I strongly protest with extreme anger." Mayor of Higashi Hiroshima Teruo Sanuki expressed his feelings; "I can't contain my anger and sadness in the face of such an act." All the letters were written in vehement words.

Self-governing bodies in Hiroshima prefecture have been sending a letter of protest every time the U.S. and Russia conducted subcritical nuclear tests. They are afraid that India's nuclear tests might tempt Pakistan into nuclear tests considering the fact that Pakistan is said to have nuclear capacity. Mayor of Hatsukaichi Saburo Yamashita asked to halt the test immediately by saying, "Tensions in Asia might grow more because of the test and we now have the danger of resumption of a new nuclear arms race."