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*What have we done so far and what are our plans?

*A local resolution calling abolition of DU weapons

*Fighting against 'Japan Atomic Energy Relation Organization'!

What have we done so far and what are our plans?

 Our domestic campaign is mainly held in the two largest cities in Japan, Toky and Osaka, and we have made actions in varoious fields.
 We have volunteer staff and chief secretaries in each area in Japan who are engaged in the actual activities mainly in Tokyo, Osaka, and in Hiroshima.

 1) In the conclusion of ICTA, learning the studies of the precursors, reviewed results of medical researches, we proved the malign effects of "depleted" uranium on the health of the human bodies, and also the history of uranium weapons development by US Forces and their awareness of the toxicity of it.
We contributed to the ICTI conviction to President Bush for the crime against humanity and the war crime. We also urged that the precautionary principle should be applied on the international law to avoid the severe damages on the environment by depleted uranium.

 2) As domestic actions, we hold lectures and exhibitions in universities, schools and public buildings. We also have been taking action to get signatures on the street to raise a stronger voice to ban Uranium Weapons. We also acted in a junior-high school, having a lecture about the conditions in which uranium weapons used in Iraq caused serious damage both to Human beings and the environment. It was presented for all the students on Hiroshima memorialday; August 6th 2004.

 We suggested and urged people to post a petition to Chigasaki city assembly, which is in Kanagawa Prefecture, for a resolution calling for BANNING uranium weapons, appealing to the world. In Japan so far 20 assemblies adopted resolutions,(one of the resolutions is contained in this document on page　from８to９ and we are trying for more.

 ３）In Tokyo, we continue to make protests against the governmental organizations which maintain that "depleted" uranium is a harmless material. Staff in Tokyo established solidarity to work for that action with an organization called "Citizens Network to act against Uranium weapons." They had carried out criticizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs' view which concluded that "depleted" uranium bullets are not considered as indiscriminately destructive weapons, and tried to negotiate. The Defense agency was another governmental authority which we put pressure on; we in Tokyo, cooperating with the above Citizens Network, also asked the Defense agency to establish a sound, long term followup system to care for the health conditions of each soldier who had served in Iraq as a Self Defense Force soldier.

 ４） Since April 2005, we started to take more action on the international stage. With the intention to raise awareness of the issues of uranium weapons and to demand international cooperation in working on them, we are planning to send some of our members to the next session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, to be held in Geneva this summer. Our main objectives are to demand the Sub-Commission to appoint another special rapporteur who would investigate into the hazardous effects of uranium weapons, and to make the participants realize what a threat such arms cause to us and how important it is to make a treaty specifying the illegality of their use in order to avoid an-other tragedy.
 We are trying to ask WHO and UNEP and other UN organizations to have them con-duct further research on the contamination of environment and the damage to human health of uranium weapons and take swift action against it.

 ５）We ask for support for the peace ac-tivities groups over the world, and to cooperate　with　them. (Last year we had a chance to talk　with peace activists in　Phillipine.) We　act and　keep solidarity with　ICBUW(International　Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons) and　other groups toward the treaty to ban　producing uranium weapons.

To know about ICBUW, please　see　at
http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/

A Japanese local resolution calling abolition of DU weapons

 The one of resolutions calling abolition of DU weapons by a local autonomous body in Japan is below;


TO:
The Prime Minister
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Director General of the Defense Agency
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　May 24, 2005

 Opinion on the Banning of Depleted Uranium Weapons Use and the Total Abolition of Depleted Uranium Munitions


 Depleted uranium (DU) shells are made of radioactive waste generated through uranium enrichment to produce uranium fuel. They are hard and strong enough to penetrate the armor of tanks.

 The US Army has used DU weapons in Gulf War I (1991), the military intervention in Bosnia (1995), the aerial bombing of the former Yugoslavia (1999), and the Afghanistan war (2001). On March 20, 2003,
Gulf War II commenced and the US Army once again used DU weapons in Iraq.

 DU is a radioactive substance with a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Once it is diffused, the effects on the environment spread widely and remain for a very long time. DU radiates alpha-rays, a very powerful form of radiation. When accumulated internally in the human body, DU causes various health problems such as cancer, leukemia, congenital disorders, and so on. Its effects are quite serious ― especially for the innocent children who are victimized by war. Use of DU weapons is clearly a crime against humanity and violates international law because of their long-term, serious effects and the indiscriminate effects they have on the people.

 Japan, a country with the tragic experiences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as part of its history, should lead the world in calling for the banning of DU weapons use and the total abolition of DU munitions, and should actively engage in the examination of ra-dioactive contamination and medical support for victims. Through those activities, Ja-pan should work for the permanent peace of the world.

 For those reasons, the Ritto city assembly ― which has created a 　declaration as a "peace city" as a "hometown strengthening the solidarity between citizens for peace," and as a "city protecting human rights" ― hereby promotes a　petition to the government to work actively, as noted in the following mission, and to take positive actions in international　society.

 The Ritto assembly submits the above opinion (unanimously approved) to the government in accordance with Article 5 of the Local Autonomy Law, with the following five requests to the government:

1. Prohibit DU weapons use in any war and military training

2. Abolish the existing stockpiles of DU munitions

3. Prohibit the import and export of DU munitions and urge countries that already　have them to abandon and dispose of them. Also, support　victims through medical　checks and treatment.

4. Promptly gather:
1) 　DU munitions that have already been used and
2)　vehicles, weapons and others exposed to DU munitions that have already　been　used, and eliminate them from living areas all over the world.

Tadaichirou Miura
Chairman
Ritto City Assembly

June 2005

We begin the fight against 'Japanese Atomic Energy Relation Organization'!

 Japan Atomic Energy Relations Organization(JAEPO) published ''Environmental effects of Depleted Uranium Weapons'' as a ''Press release No.111'' on June 15, 2004, and distributed its report to a Japa-nese mass media.　In its report, it explains advantages of DU weapons, addressing that DU weapons don't aim at radioactive effects. That is to say, the report was used to make a false excuse for justice of using DU weapons' use in behalf of US army. What is worse, it says that we don't have to be anxious about DU contamination unless someone carries the DU bullet ,nearly attached to his or her body, for a long time ,or, someone goes into the contaminated tank, inhales DU dust and takes in a great deal of DU dust in one's lung. It does not concern about scattering DU in the environment!! Needless to say, it is an illegal act in Japan.
 After the release was published, UWBAN sent a letter in　which some questions put　on the report. Then Murakami Tatsuya, the mayor of Tokai-town and one of the directors of the foundation, answered our questions. His answer is the following; ''I never feel like admitting use of DU weapons, and the re-lease brought some sort of discomfort to me.'' ''Our organization aims at informing of knowledge on Nuclear power as non-military use. Using DU as a weapon is apparently not peaceful use''. (Mr.Murakami's answer and our action was posted on Asahi-Newspaper on February 18, 2005)
 In addition, we, UWBAN, made an action to protest against the above attitude of the release with submitting a document and open letter to JAERO on February 4, 2005. Then we acted together with citizens as an affiliated member of NO DU Citizens' net, for the purpose to strengthen our protest, and participated in debates between JAERO and citizens on February 15, 2005.
 The following covers most of the detail of the debate. Mr.Yokote, the executive director of JAERO, said that they published the report to correct inaccurate information on DU which says, ''The number of person who gets cancer and gives birth to handicapped child has been increasing in Basra since the Gulf War due to use of dirty bullets; 'Depleted Uranium.' Why did JAERO needed to correct that? We can understand that JAERO's aimed to explain that the increasing number of children who suffer from cancer or birth abnormality, as well as adults who damaged in their health conditions, in Basra is not related to DU weapons. The report quotes environmental assessment in Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro carried out by UNEP and examination in Kuwait conducted by IAEA.
 It concludes that using DU weapons does not affect environment. However, no international organization have not examined in Basra nor any other cities in Iraq yet. No one can prove why the number of cancer and deformation has been increasing without epidemiologic date and contamination date on Basra. If JAERO want to correct inaccurate information on DU, as it insisted, what it needs to do is not publishing such a report but requesting international organizations to examine in Basra, before everything else. Although JAERO said that they plan to use DU only for peaceful purpose, there is description of DU weapons in the report and we protested the very point. Mr.Yokote seemed to likely tell us that, "Laymen should keep quiet." We protested the word last and the debate ended. Our fight against the foundation has just started. We have to continue the fight.