4 days ago
Japanese doctor appointed to UN panel on effects of nuclear war
The United Nations has established a panel to examine what impact a nuclear war would have. One of the members is a Japanese doctor who survived the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
The UN announced on Thursday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had appointed 21 members.
Last December, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution outlining the plan to establish the scientific panel.
A statement issued by the UN says the panel is tasked with examining "the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war."
The panel will study the possible impact of a nuclear war in seven areas, such as climate, the environment, agriculture, public health and economy.
The panel will hold its first meeting in September and will submit a final report to the General Assembly in 2027.
The last cross-sectional UN study of this kind was undertaken in 1988. Technologies for simulating such impacts have since advanced significantly.
The UN says the panel has been established in 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."
The question now is whether the UN panel's research will be able to emphasize the message that nuclear weapons should never be used, based on scientific evidence.
Japanese doctor Tomonaga Masao, who has been appointed to the panel, spoke about the move on Friday. He has studied the effects of radiation exposure on humans, including leukemia.
Tomonaga said the current situation regarding nuclear weapons goes against the trend toward nuclear disarmament after the Cold War.
He said he believes the UN wants to clearly show the effects of nuclear war on humans and the environment in order to stop the current trend and build momentum for the abolition of nuclear arms.
Tomonaga said there have been no opportunities for what Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced to be used to scientifically clarify the effects of nuclear war.
He added that he would be most pleased if he, as part of the UN panel, can contribute to a scientific conclusion using studies of experiences in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
