Latest news with #MasaoTomonaga
Asahi Shimbun
22-07-2025
- Health
- Asahi Shimbun
Hibakusha from Nagasaki picked for U.N. panel on nuke war effects
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.)
19-07-2025
- Health
Japanese Doctor Picked for U.N. Panel on Nuclear War Impact
News from Japan World Jul 19, 2025 16:47 (JST) New York, July 19 (Jiji Press)--U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed 21 experts, including Japanese doctor Masao Tomonaga, who survived the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki, as members of a panel to examine the possible impact of a nuclear war. The independent panel was set up based on a resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in December last year. It consists of specialists in various fields, including nuclear and radiation studies, climate, environment, medicine and agriculture. It will examine the effects of a nuclear war on public health, ecosystems and global socioeconomic systems at both regional and global levels. The panel is set to hold its first meeting in September and submit a report to the U.N. General Assembly in 2027. The United Nations conducted a similar study in 1988. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
