Calling for an immediate halt to Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Statement calling for withdrawal from nuclear deterrence

　The fighting between Israel and Hamas, which intensified following the October 7, 2023 attack by the Islamic Hamas militant group, has yet to be resolved, with Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip resulting in 25,700 deaths, including more than 8,000 children, and more than 60,000 wounded. More than 1.9 million people, or 85% of the population, have been displaced.
　However, Israel has not slowed down its offensive attack, saying that it will fight until it achieves complete victory, and many people in the Gaza Strip have been forced into a humanitarian crisis due to starvation and lack of medical care.
　While Hamas' attacks on Israel and hostage-taking are unacceptable, Israel's retaliation is clearly over the top.
　Incidentally, the government of the Republic of South Africa has filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), claiming that such Israeli acts are genocide, and on January 26 this year, the ICJ ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent genocide.
　The Association supports South Africa's action and the ICJ's interim measures order, and calls on Israel to immediately cease its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

　On November 5, 2023, Israeli Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu stated that the dropping of nuclear bombs on the Gaza Strip was an option. Although Prime Minister Netanyahu denied this, the fact that such a statement was made by a current government minister is extremely serious and must be strongly condemned.
　In the first place, it is clear that Israel has overwhelmingly superior military power compared to Hamas, and there is no reason why it should have to use the threat of inhumane nuclear weapons to prevent an invasion of its own country.
　On the other hand, Russia also threatened to use nuclear weapons when it invaded Ukraine.
　These situations mean that nuclear weapons are not used to deter attacks against one's own country, but rather as collateral to make it easier to use force against the other country. Nuclear weapons play an extremely dangerous role.
　Furthermore, Sweden and Finland have applied for and been approved to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and threats to use nuclear weapons. Russia's aggression against Ukraine and threats of nuclear weapons use, rather than nuclear nonproliferation, are deepening the division and conflict among European nations and increasing the danger to the survival of human society.
　Thus, the current situation in the world is a clear indication that the theory of nuclear deterrence, which holds that nuclear weapons are the only way to maintain peace, has failed.
　The Association urges the governments of all countries to immediately break away from nuclear deterrence and work earnestly for nuclear abolition. In particular, the government of Japan, the only country to have suffered nuclear war, should take the lead in this effort and immediate steps to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of the Nuclear Weapons.