DATE=6/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234002
TITLE=JAPAN / INDIA ANTI-NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVISTS FROM JAPAN HAVE URGED INDIANS AND
PAKISTANIS TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST ANY FURTHER NUCLEAR TESTING.
V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS, THE JAPANESE ACTIVISTS ARE VISITING
BOTH COUNTRIES THIS WEEK -- AND AMONG THEM IS A MAN WHO SURVIVED
THE WORLD'S FIRST NUCLEAR BOMB ATTACK IN HIROSHIMA, JAPAN.
TEXT: THE JAPANESE ACTIVISTS SAY THEY ARE LONGTIME ADMIRERS OF
THE TRADITION OF GANDHIAN NON-VIOLENCE, AND THEY WERE SHOCKED AND
SADDENED WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE NUCLEAR TESTS IN INDIA AND
PAKISTAN.
INDIA TESTED FIVE NUCLEAR DEVICES IN MAY. PAKISTAN QUICKLY
FOLLOWED WITH SIX NUCLEAR TESTS OF ITS OWN.
POLLS IN BOTH COUNTRIES SHOW OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE TESTS.
THE JAPANESE ACTIVISTS SAY PART OF THE REASON THEY ARE TRAVELING
TO SOUTH ASIA NOW IS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE SMALL ANTI-NUCLEAR
MOVEMENTS IN BOTH PAKISTAN AND INDIA.
// OPT // MASA TAKUBO WHO HEADS THE JAPANESE ANTI-NUCLEAR
ORGANIZATION CALLED GENSUIKAN SAYS IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO
ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
// OPT // TAKETA ACTUALITY //
WE HAVE RESPECT FOR THE PEACE MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY
AND IN PAKISTAN ,WHO ARE STRUGGLING UNDER VERY DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS, AND WE HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS SOLIDARITY WE
CAN MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS. WE BELIEVE THAT HUMAN BEINGS CAN ABOLISH WHAT
HUMAN BEINGS CREATED.
// END ACTUALITY // // END OPT //
AMONG THE JAPANESE ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVISTS IS YASUHIKO TAKETA, WHO
WAS A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY WAITING FOR A TRAIN SEVEN KILOMETERS FROM
GROUND ZERO WHEN THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON HIROSHIMA
BY THE UNITED STATES NEAR THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. MR. TAKETA
SAYS 53 YEARS LATER, HE STILL SUFFERS NIGHTMARES OVER WHAT HE
SAW.
HE SAYS THE INITIAL EUPHORIA OVER THE NUCLEAR TESTS IN BOTH INDIA
AND PAKISTAN IS DUE TO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT NUCLEAR
WEAPONS CAN DO. SPEAKING IN JAPANESE, MR. TAKETA SAYS HE ALSO
OPPOSES THE IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON INDIA AND PAKISTAN BY THE
UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES.
// JAPANESE ACTUALITY //
MR. TAKETA SAYS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD ONLY IMPOSE SANCTIONS IF
IT ALSO AGREES TO REDUCE ITS OWN NUCLEAR ARSENAL -- AS A FIRST
STEP TOWARDS TOTAL NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.
FOR THEIR PART, MEMBERS OF INDIA'S SMALL ANTI-NUCLEAR MOVEMENT
WELCOMED THE JAPANESE VISIT. ACHIN VANAIK IS A MEMBER OF THE
"MOVEMENT IN INDIA FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT", KNOWN AS "MIND." HE
SAYS HE IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BUILDING A STRONG ANTI-NUCLEAR
MOVEMENT IN SOUTH ASIA.
// VANAIK ACTUALITY //
I THINK WE CAN BUILD A STRONG MOVEMENT AGAINST THIS
(NUCLEAR TESTING), PARTICULARLY SINCE IT DOES NOT
ADDRESS THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIC NEEDS AND OTHER BASIC
EVERYDAY PROBLEMS OF PEOPLE IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
// END ACTUALITY //
THE ANTI-NUCLEAR ACTIVISTS SAY THE PEOPLE OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN
NEED TO REALIZE THE COSTS OF A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN SOUTH ASIA
WOULD BE HIGH -- TOO HIGH, THEY SAY, FOR TWO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH POVERTY, ILLITERACY AND A LACK OF BASIC
INFRASTRUCTURE. (SIGNED)
/NEB/JLT/LTD/MMK
16-Jun-98 10:45 AM EDT (1445 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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