In response to the reply to the request for suspension of nuclear tests sent from the Russian Federation Embassy in Japan, Hiroshima Prefecture sent a letter to the Russian Federation Government on June 21, 2024.

（Provisional Translation）

June 21, 2024

The Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

President of the Russian Federation

Dear Mr. President,

On April 11, Hiroshima Prefecture sent a letter to the ambassador of your country, asking him to forward it to Your Excellency. In that letter, we requested cessation of the nuclear test plan on the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya. Since the ambassador declined our request, I am writing directly to Your Excellency to inform you of the view of Hiroshima Prefecture regarding the nuclear tests.

We sent the request letter in consideration of a series of recent speeches and actions of your country, particularly its aggression against Ukraine and frequent nuclear saber-rattling.

Reportedly, there are signs of preparations for nuclear tests on Novaya Zemlya. It is essential that Russia disclose its nuclear test plans to ensure the transparency of nuclear development.

Should it become obvious that Russia will continue preparations for nuclear tests, Hiroshima Prefecture will swiftly take action, including sending a protest letter.

We request cessation of preparations for nuclear tests not only by your country but any country that shows signs of testing. When it becomes clear that any country has conducted a nuclear test, we make a strong protest against it. For example, on May 14, we requested the government of the United States to stop its planned nuclear tests, and on May 18, knowing that the tests had been conducted, we strongly protested to the U.S. government.

In terms of the Japanese government, we strongly demand that it exert its leadership to advance nuclear abolition by firmly upholding the three non-nuclear principles and signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Since the Russian Federation and the United States are the largest nuclear states, it is their responsibility to promote nuclear disarmament in line with Article 6 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

I hereby strongly request the Russian Federation to never conduct nuclear tests again, including subcritical nuclear experiments.

Respectfully yours,

Hidehiko Yuzaki

Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

Full text in Japanese

Response from the Russian Federation Embassy in Japan

Letter to Russia requesting suspension of nuclear tests (April 11, 2024)

Protest　Letter against Nuclear Tests and Request Letter about visits to Hiroshima, etc.