It is imperative to strike a balance between promoting peace and acknowledging the complexities involved in achieving it
People release paper lanterns on the Motoyasu River beside the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, commonly known as the atomic bomb dome, to mark the 77th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 2022. (Photo: Philip Fong/ AFP)
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will lead the next G7 Summit in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21. More than 10 ministerial meetings will also take place in Japan throughout the year, with discussions on global challenges such as the global economy, regional affairs, nuclear disarmament, and non-proliferation.
Kishida intends to showcase the G7's firm resolution in maintaining the international order that abides by the principles of the rule of law. He also aims to emphasize the G7's disapproval of any effort to alter the status quo through violent means or nuclear threats.
I have just returned from Hiroshima, the city that is often associated with being the first target for the dropping of a nuclear device but also with its positive complementary concept, that of peace, given its tragic history.
While it is true that a focus on peace can be a sincere effort to promote international understanding and cooperation in order to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future, there are also cases where this prevents any concrete improvement of actual conflict resolution.
I had the chance to visit a local Okonomiyaki restaurant that literally translates to “whatever you want” (okonomi) “grilled (yaki). I listened to the owner describe the terrible events his grandma went through during the war, though it felt a bit like an overly repeated standard script.
I have heard the same peace narrative from the automaton-like-city mayor, Matsui Kazumi, a political machine of infinite dull and repetitive rhetoric. I have heard it inside the A-bomb museum and I have heard it again from high school students in town.
"China and Russia have been expanding their nuclear arsenals in recent years"
Peace and the push for a non-nuclear world have been repeated so many times and in so many contexts in the city that it has become a mantra devoid of any actual meaning.
The NPT, the Non Proliferation Treaty, has faced criticism for years from Third World countries who believe it favors nuclear-armed states. These countries have argued that the NPT has not been successful in enforcing Article VI, which demands disarmament by the nuclear states.
Detractors have also pointed out that Article IV of the treaty permits non-nuclear states to develop nuclear energy for power generation, which can be misused for developing nuclear weapons. Moreover, some bilateral deals and lack of sanctions for possessing unauthorized nuclear weapons have further weakened the NPT.
Furthermore China and Russia have been expanding their nuclear arsenals in recent years, including the development of new types of nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
North Korea too has been rapidly developing its nuclear and missile capabilities, conducting numerous missile tests and claiming to have developed a hydrogen bomb.
These actions have raised concerns about a new arms race and the potential for increased global instability. Yet all this is not part of the political discussion.
One example is the Hiroshima Sotoku High School. I have visited the high school’s newspaper club, established in 1949, four years after the devastating atomic bombing. It has grown to be one of the largest newspaper clubs in Japan, boasting over 150 members.
"Emphasis on conformity and obedience to authority is mind boggling when looked at closely"
The club claims an independent approach to journalism, covering a wide range of topics, including peace, society, and sports.
Despite the club being awarded the Grand Prize in the Newspaper Club category at the All-Japan High School Culture Festival for two consecutive years, gaining it significant media attention, I found a lack of critical thinking in the students themselves. They have been focusing inflexibly only on reporting the theme set up by the local authority’s agenda.
While I interviewed some of the students I realized how powerful the education system is in Japan in shaping non-critical minds.
Japan has one of the most highly regarded education systems in the world, but its emphasis on conformity and obedience to authority is mind boggling when looked at closely. As a result, the students club while showcasing hundreds of articles written to promote peace hasn’t really discussed the dangers of any potential future armed conflicts in their reporting.
Overly emphasizing the idea of peace without acknowledging the complexities of the conflicts themselves and the challenges involved in achieving lasting peace can have undesirable effects.
In fact, while peace seems to be the only recurring theme in the city, Japan’s authorities blatantly contradict this rhetoric by pushing for a rapid militarization, knowing full well that with its belligerent neighbors, preparing for action is just as important as preventive peace discourses.
The disingenuous approach to education in a Hiroshima high school raises serious concerns about the young generation’s potential in preparing for the worst.
It is imperative to strike a balance between promoting peace as a desirable goal while also acknowledging the challenges and complexities involved in achieving it. This requires a nuanced understanding of the root causes of conflicts and a commitment to addressing them in a constructive and critical manner.
*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.
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