Hibakusha from Nagasaki picked for U.N. panel on nuke war effects

Asahi Shimbun

22-07-2025

An atomic bomb survivor who is a doctor with experience treating other hibakusha and conducting leukemia research has been appointed to a new United Nations panel that examines the effects of nuclear war.
'Hiroshima and Nagasaki are real cities against which nuclear weapons were directly used, and Japanese researchers know the impact of nuclear weapons in totality,' said Masao Tomonaga, emeritus director of the Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb (Genbaku) Hospital.
He is among the 21 members of the Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War announced by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 17.
The formation of the independent panel is 'a response to a global environment in which the risk of nuclear war is higher than at any point since the depths of the Cold War,' according to the United Nations.
Tomonaga, 82, became a hematologist after graduating from Nagasaki University's School of Medicine.
He expressed his eagerness to work on the international panel, saying there is a need to scientifically clarify what would occur in the event of a nuclear war.
'It is an honor to be selected as a researcher of atomic bombings,' the Nagasaki native said. 'I would like to speak about experiences in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, including developments over the (last) 80 years.'
The panel was established in accordance with a U.N. General Assembly resolution adopted in December.
It is tasked with examining 'the physical effects and societal consequences' of a nuclear war, and 'their impacts on public health, global socioeconomic systems, agriculture and ecosystems,' according to a U.N. statement.
The panel is expected to hold its first meeting in September and submit its final report to the U.N. General Assembly session in 2027.
(This article was written by Kyota Tanaka and Takashi Ogawa.)