3rd Essay Contest Award Ceremony Held [JPN]
The Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA) has selected Grand Prize and Second Prize Award winners in the U-20 (16-20 years old) and U-30 (20-30 years old) categories for the third annual “Opinions on a Nuclear Weapons Free Future” and held an award ceremony as follows.
The two Grand Prize “opinions” were published in full in the September 22, 2024 issue of the Nagasaki Shimbun. (A Japanese article in the electronic edition of the same newspaper)
【 3rd “Opinion” Contest Award Ceremony 】
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| Group photo of award ceremony attendees | Award winners being interviewed |
| DATE/TIME： |
Saturday, September 21, 2024 Award Ceremony: 13:00-14:00 Press Interviews: 14:00-14:30 |
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| VENUE： |
1st floor, Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University |
| PROGRAM： |
(MC: Keiko Nakamura, Associate Professor, RECNA) 1. Opening Remarks by Prof. Fumihiko Yoshida, Director of RECNA 2. Announcement of Winners and Award Ceremony
U-20 Division
U-30 Division 3. Comment on the awarded essays 4. Comments by the other members of the Selection Committee 5. Group Photography |
| PRESS Interviews： |
Speakers: Mr. Seirai, Award winners Moderator: Prof. Tatsujiro Suzuki, RECNA |
Winners of the 3rd Essay Contest Announced [JPN]
The Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA) held a call for “opinions” applying to the 3rd Essay Contest on “Nuclear Weapons and Our Future”, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of nuclear weapons issues among the younger generation and fostering human resources who can contribute to the realization of a peaceful international society.
We are pleased to announce that we have selected one Grand Prize winner and one Second Prize winner in each of the U-20 (16 to 20 years old) and U-30 (20 to 30 years old) divisions.
［⇒ 3rd Essay Contest Award Ceremony］
【 Winners： 2 Grand Prize Winners, 2 Second Prize Winners 】
* Age at time of application.
U-20: Grand Prize |
Riki Ishiyama（17 years old）
Currently enrolled in Berkshire school in Massachusetts. United States. |
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U-30: Grand Prize |
Atsuhito Nishiyama（27 years old）
Lives in Kyoto City. Office worker. |
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U-20: Second Prize |
Tomoko Ogawa（18 years old）
Currently enrolled in Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. |
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U-30: Second Prize |
Saki Okamoto（24 years old）
Currently enrolled in Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. |
【 U-20: 6 Finalists excluding winners / 12 Total Applicants 】
【 U-30: 14 Finalists excluding winners / 39 Total Applicants 】
Vol.7, Issue 1 of Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament (J-PAND) is now available online. There are 20 open access articles.
For the issue, see here. This is the second special issue on “Irreversibility in Global Nuclear Politics,” which carries case study articles. Another special feature of the issue is“ Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapons Use in Northeast Asia,” one of the RECNA’s recent projects.
U.S. National Archives, 1945. 77-AEC-52-4459.
The Political Reckoning in a Post-Nuclear Use Landscape
Rabia Akhtar
July 11, 2024
This report is simultaneously published by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, Nautilus Institute, and the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA).
It was first published in the Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament.
Acknowledgements: This article was commissioned by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network.
Abstract
Keywords: nuclear weapons; Asia-Pacific; North Korea; arms control; deterrence
Authors’ Profile:
Full text (PDF) is here.
The views represented herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the institutional positions.
The page for this project is here.
No First Use Can Still Help to Reduce US-China Nuclear Risks
Adam Mount
July 2, 2024
This report is simultaneously published by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, Nautilus Institute, and the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA).
It was first published in the Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament.
Acknowledgements: This article was commissioned by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network.
Abstract
Keywords: nuclear; no first use; China
Authors’ Profile:
Full text (PDF) is here.
The views represented herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the institutional positions.
The page for this project is here.
East Asia’s Alliance Dilemma:
Public Perceptions of the Competing Risks of Extended Nuclear Deterrence
Lauren Sukin and Woohyeok Seo
June 7, 2024
This report is simultaneously published by the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network, Nautilus Institute, and the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA).
It was first published in the Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament.
Abstract
Keywords: nuclear; alliances; East Asia; proliferation; security
Authors’ Profile:
Woohyeok Seo is a Ph.D. Candidate in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom.
Full text (PDF) is here.
The views represented herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the institutional positions.
The page for this project is here.
“World’s Fissile Material Data” 2024 [All Lists]
As was the case last year, the total amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) declined but the total amount of separated plutonium increased, and the increasing tendency continues.
The total inventory of HEU was 1,255 tons, equivalent to 19,610 warheads (a decrease of 5 tons or about 70 warheads from last year). However, the overall rising trend in separated plutonium continues, with an increase of 7 tons in plutonium for civilian use, bringing the total inventory to 560 tons, equivalent to 93,270 warheads (an increase of 8 tons or about 1,270 warheads from last year). As a result, the total inventory amount increased to equivalent to 112,880 warheads, an increase of around 1,200 warheads from last year (111,680 warheads).
◆ The two images to the right can be enlarged by clicking on them. You can also view and download the following PDF versions.
・The 2024 Global Inventory Map of Fissile Material (PDF)
・The 2024 Global Inventory of Fissile Material (PDF)
◆ You can see the original data of the map from the following links.
・Global Inventory of Separated Plutonium
・Global Inventory of Highly Enriched Uranium
◆ You can see previous “World’s Fissile Material Data” from [All Lists].
“World’s Nuclear Warheads Data” 2024 [All Lists]
The 2024 World’s Nuclear Warheads Data have been published. Please click on the following thumbnail images and download the pdf posters.
| Japanese | English | Korean | |
| Jun. 2024 |  |
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◆we have released a newly revamped “Explanatory Leaflet” and “Digital Guide.”
◇ You can see previous “World’s Nuclear Warhead Data” from [All Lists].
Calls for submissions! [JPN]
3rd Essay Contest on a “Nuclear Weapons Free Future”
The Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA), with the support of the Nagasaki Shimbun, invites youth between the ages of 16 and 29 to submit an essay on a “Nuclear Weapons Free Future.”
The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza show no signs of abating, and the specter of nuclear war persists in various regions. Against this backdrop, the year 2024 has emerged as an international “election year” with potentially significant implications for nuclear policy. The presidential elections in the United States and Russia are the most prominent, but Japan is also grappling with the prospect of a general election.
If you were to send a letter to a single leader of one nuclear weapons state, or the leaders of several or all of the nuclear weapons states, considering the worsening situation surrounding nuclear weapons, what would you ask them to do? We would like you to compose such a message, that you may address to the leader of one nuclear weapons state, or a state under the nuclear umbrella of a nuclear weapons state, like Japan, or the leaders of all or some of the nuclear weapons states (*1) and umbrella states (*2).
Entries will be divided into two groups: youth aged 16 to 19 (Under 20) and youth aged 20 to 29 (Under 30). Awards will be given to outstanding essays and there will be one grand prize winner for each age group. The two winning essays will be published in the Nagasaki Shimbun newspaper and the winning authors will be invited to participate in the award ceremony in Nagasaki on Saturday, September 21st, 2024. If the winner resides in Japan, she/he will be invited to Nagasaki to participate in person. If the winner resides overseas, he/she will be invited to participate in the award ceremony online.
*1: Russia, United States, China, France, United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea
*2: Japan, South Korea, Australia, NATO non-nuclear weapon states (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Türkiye, Greece, Germany, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Finland, Sweden), and Belarus (Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has declared that it is also extending a nuclear umbrella to Belarus, where Russia has deployed nuclear weapons. Consequently, Belarus is now also considered to be included in this category.)
| ELIGIBILITY |
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| • Under-20 (Ages between 16 and 19), Under-30 (Ages between 20 and 29) as of July 31, 2024. |
| • Any residence or nationality is welcome. |
| APPLICATION |
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| Please submit the following documents in PDF format by e-mail to opinion@ml.nagasaki-u.ac.jp |
| 1. Application [form] * For download |
| 2. Your Essay (Essays should be about 1000 words, in English, and must be original and unpublished. Your essay should be in the form of a letter/message to the leader(s) of a “nuclear armed states” or a country under the “nuclear umbrella. Make it clear in the title or in the text which leader(s) the message is addressed to.) |
| SUBMISSION DEADLINE |
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| July 31, 2024 |
| You will receive a notice of receipt approximately one week after submission. If you do not receive a notice please contact us at the contact information below. |
| * Please note that applications will not be accepted at the contact e-mail address. |
| ABOUT THE PRIZE |
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| For Youth Under-30: |
| • The grand prize winner will receive a commemorative plaque, prize money of 50,000 yen, and, for a winner who resides in Japan, an invitation to the award ceremony in Nagasaki. (A winner who resides outside Japan will be invited to participate online.) |
| • The second prize winner will receive a commemorative plaque and prize money of 30,000 yen. |
| For Youth Under-20: |
| • The grand prize winner will receive a commemorative plaque, prize money of 30,000 yen, and, for a winner who resides in Japan, an invitation to the award ceremony in Nagasaki. (A winner who resides outside Japan will be invited to participate online.) |
| • The second prize winner will receive a commemorative plaque and prize money of 10,000 yen. |
| AWARD SELECTION AND ANNOUNCEMENT |
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| Two grand prize winners and two second prize winners will be selected after strict screening by the selection committee. The committee members are: |
| • Yuichi SEIRAI, Akutagawa Award-winning author (Chair) |
| • Gregory KULACKI, Visiting Fellow of RECNA (Chair of the English Review Subcommittee) |
| • Yoshiki YAMADA, Editorial Director, Nagasaki Shimbun newspaper, visiting professor of RECNA (Vice chair) |
| • Keiko NAKAMURA, Associate Professor of RECNA (Vice chair) |
| • Tatsujiro SUZUKI, Professor of RECNA, |
| • Suzuka NAKAMURA, Co-president of KNOW NUKES TOKYO |
| • Sumiko HATAKEYAMA, Co-president of Peace Boat |
| • Ayane MURAKAMI , 9th member of Nagasaki Youth Delegation |
| SCREENING CRITERIA |
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| Your Essay will be evaluated on the following criteria: |
| (1) Clarity and Logical consistency, (2) Factual content, (3) Creativity and originality, (4) Expressiveness |
| ANNOUCEMENT |
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| The results will be announced in the Award Ceremony. |
| Time and Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024, 1-2 p.m. |
| Venue: Nagasaki University (https://www.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/) |
| The Grand Prize-winning essays will be published in full in the Nagasaki Shimbun newspaper at a later date. All winning essays will be published on the RECNA website. |
| * The copyright of the submitted essays belongs to entrant, but the organizer (RECNA) holds secondary use (publication online or paper format, etc.) right of the winning essays. |
| Sponsored by: the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA) |
| Supported by: Nagasaki Shimbun Newspaper |
| Nominal support organizations: Nagasaki Prefecture, Nagasaki City, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Nagasaki, KTN (Television Nagasaki Co.,Ltd.), NBC (Nagasaki Broadcasting Company), NCC（Nagasaki Culture Telecasting Corporation）, NIB (Nagasaki International Television Broadcasting, Inc.) |
* This project is funded by a donation for the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA).
| Contact |
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| Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA) TEL: +81-95-819-2164 E-mail: recna_staff@ml.nagasaki-u.ac.jp Website: https://www.recna.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/recna/en-top |
