79 Years Later, Hiroshima Looks to the Future

9 Aug 2024 | APLN

9 August 2024

This week at APLN, we continue the #CranesForOurFuture campaign, Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki commemorates the anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city, explaining how it seeks to cultivate the next generation of leaders for a nuclear-free world, and Ali Zia Jaffery writes on North Korea’s build-up of tactical nuclear weapons.

As always, we share recent activities from our network, including analysis on last month’s NATO summit in Washington, India’s foreign policy, Japan’s nuclear deterrence debate, and more.

Hiroshima’s Commitment to Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders for a Nuclear-Free World

Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, highlights the urgent need to redirect resources from nuclear modernisation towards cultivating leaders dedicated to nuclear disarmament and international peace, given the aging population of atomic bomb survivors and persistent global threats posed by nuclear weapons.

Read the commentary

North Korea’s Tactical Nuclear Weapons:
More Bad News for Northeast Asia

Ali Zia Jaffery explains how North Korea’s tactical nuclear weapons fit into its nuclear posture and increase the risk of nuclear misadventure on the Korean Peninsula. He argues that instead of spending time and resources on reaffirming extended deterrence to Seoul, Washington should seek new ways to engage a nuclear-armed Pyongyang in arms control discussions.

Read the commentary

In remembrance of the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, APLN joins a coalition of institutions and public figures worldwide in the #CranesForOurFuture campaign, sharing photos of paper cranes with a message of peace and hope.

This campaign, launched by the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), the prefectures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), honours Sadako Sasaki and all children affected by the atomic bomb and advocates for a nuclear-free future.

Use APLN’s origami templates to fold your own crane

APLN has over 150 members from 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.

See all member activities

Takeaways from the NATO Summit in Washington

Chung-in Moon, APLN Vice Chair, writes for Hankyoreh and points out that if the standoff between the opposing sides worsens to the point where not only North Korea but also China and Russia are aiming missiles and nuclear weapons at Seoul, it is South Koreans who will have to stand on the front lines of that conflict.

What would a Harris presidency mean for US foreign policy and Australia?

Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Resident Senior Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), writes on the implications of a Harris presidency for US foreign policy from an Indian perspective. She highlights that bipartisan support for closer US-India relations is likely to continue under a Harris administration, but India is unlikely to be a major focus.

India-Russia | Keeping an Arms Distance

Frank O’Donnell, APLN Senior Research Adviser and Nonresident Fellow in the Stimson Center South Asia Program, was quoted in India Today, where he commented that Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Russia reflects India’s effort to convince Moscow that it can achieve greater strategic autonomy from Beijing by forming a closer partnership with India.

Southeast Asia must factor Big Tech Firms into its US-China Calculus

Elina Noor, Senior Fellow in the Asia Programme at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, writes for South China Morning Post and argues that Southeast Asian states must recognise that it is not only countries but also large companies that shift the power balance on the global stage.

高まる核使用リスク抑止戦略、脱する一歩を

Fujiwara Kiichi, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, argues that while Japan is united in its desire for nuclear disarmament due to the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there is a significant divide on policies, especially regarding nuclear deterrence. It is essential to reduce dependence on nuclear weapons and advance toward their eventual abolition through international cooperation.

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