It has recently been revealed that the US carried out subcritical nuclear weapons testing last December – the first conducted under the Trump administration. Another test is anticipated this December.
Gensuikyo, the Japanese Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs, has responded to this news with an open letter of protest against the US’s past and upcoming subcritical nuclear tests, as well as its increasingly aggressive pro-nuclear stance.
As Gensuikyo states, ‘The recent revelation of the U.S. nuclear test carried out prior to the announcement of the NPR [Nuclear Posture Review] and your plan to conduct another test coming December will undoubtedly lead to further nuclear proliferation and accelerated nuclear arms race. This will totally run counter to the aspiration of the overwhelming majority of the world’s governments and people and we strongly denounce it.’
The US continues to advance its nuclear weapons technology, demonstrating what Gensuikyo observes is an ‘increased readiness’ to use nuclear weapons.
CND stands with Gensuikyo’s call for the US to cease conducting any nuclear tests in any form. The US signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996 and must now move to ratify it, as a significant step towards a nuclear-free world.