長崎大学 核兵器廃絶研究センター（RECNA）

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 nucler 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.)}
 

* This project is funded by a donation for the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA).

第3回「核なき未来」オピニオン募集！ [ENG]
「核兵器に頼る国のリーダーへ　―今、あなたなら何を訴えますか？―」

ウクライナ、ガザの戦闘は未だ終わりを見せず、核戦争の火種が各地でくすぶり続けています。こうした中、2024年は、米国、ロシアの大統領選を筆頭に、核政策に大きな影響を与えうる国際的な「選挙イヤー」となりました。日本も解散総選挙の可能性があります。

核兵器を巡る危機的な情勢の中、今、核兵器に頼る国のリーダーにメッセージを送るとしたら、あなたなら何を訴えますか？核兵器保有国^（※1）あるいは「核の傘」の下の国^（※2）のリーダー（一人でも、複数でもかまいません）に宛てたメッセージを書いてみてください。


「U-20」(16歳以上20歳未満)、「U-30」(20歳以上30歳未満) の2つの部で、「核なき未来」に関するオピニオンを募集します。2024年のテーマは「核兵器に頼る国のリーダーへ　―今、あなたなら何を訴えますか？―」です。

最優秀賞と優秀賞を各部１名ずつに授与します。最優秀賞受賞者は長崎での授賞式（2024年9月21日(土)）に招待します。また、最優秀受賞オピニオンは長崎新聞に掲載されます。

※1：ロシア、米国、中国、フランス、英国、パキスタン、インド、イスラエル、北朝鮮
※2：日本、韓国、オーストラリア、NATO非核兵器国（ベルギー、カナダ、デンマーク、アイスランド、イタリア、ルクセンブルク、オランダ、ノルウェー、ポルトガル、トルコ、ギリシャ、ドイツ、スペイン、ポーランド、チェコ、ハンガリー、エストニア、ラトビア、リトアニア、スロバキア、スロベニア、ブルガリア、ルーマニア、アルバニア、クロアチア、モンテネグロ、北マケドニア、フィンランド、スウェーデン）、ベラルーシ（ウクライナ侵攻後、ロシアは核兵器を配備したベラルーシにも核の傘を供与していると述べています。したがって、今回はベラルーシも対象国とします。）

【お問い合わせ先】
長崎大学核兵器廃絶研究センター（RECNA）
TEL：095-819-2164
E-mail: recna_staff@ml.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Website: https://www.recna.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/recna/

RECNA Workshop on Nuclear Disarmament
“Are nuclear weapons obsolete? -Nuclear policy lessons from the Russian war against Ukraine”

Date： March 12 (Tue) 2024, 9:00 am – 11:00 am (JST)
Place： On-Line (Zoom Webinar)
Language: English Only
Speaker: Dr. Pavel Podvig

Since the Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, the role of nuclear weapons in national security and utility of nuclear deterrence have been major subjects of discussion. We are fortunate that Dr. Pavel Podvig, a world leading expert on Russia’s nuclear policy, kindly agreed to give a speech at RECNA, during his visit to Nagasaki on this important issue. This is a great opportunity to learn more about nuclear deterrence and utility of nuclear weapons in national security policy, learning a lesson from the Ukraine conflict. The workshop will be conducted only on-line. We hope it will be useful for those looking of a better understanding of Russia’s nuclear policies and their implications for Northeast Asia.

Abstract

The role that nuclear weapons played in shaping the conflict in Ukraine and Russia’s invasion in February 2022 raise important questions about nuclear deterrence and the utility of nuclear weapons as a military and political tool of war. The evidence suggests that this utility is extremely limited. More broadly, nuclear weapons do not provide the states that possess them with tangible national security benefits and the reliance on nuclear weapons ultimately undermines national security.

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Profile of Speaker

Pavel Podvig

Pavel Podvig is an independent analyst based in Geneva, where he runs his research project, “Russian Nuclear Forces.” He is also a Senior Researcher at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research and a researcher with the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University. Pavel Podvig started his work on arms control at the Center for Arms Control Studies at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), which was the first independent research organization in Russia dedicated to analysis of technical issues of disarmament and nonproliferation. Pavel Podvig led the Center for Arms Control Studies project that produced the book, Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces (MIT Press, 2001). In recognition of his work in Russia, the American Physical Society awarded Podvig the Leo Szilard Lectureship Award of 2008 (with Anatoli Diakov). Pavel Podvig is a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials. He has a physics degree from MIPT and PhD in political science from the Moscow Institute of World Economy and International Relations.