Toshiyuki Mimaki, president of Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, has commented following the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize to his grassroots organization.  

Also a reaction from Nagasaki, another site where atomic bomb had been used in 1945.  

S/Mimaki Toshiyuki, President of Nihon Hidankyo:  

Right now, it truly feels like a distant dream, a dream within a dream. 79 years after the war, this is the only honor of its kind in the world. I never imagined that it would come to Japan’s hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors).   

Q How do we convey the danger faced by so many nations under the threat of nuclear weapons today?   

S/Toshiyuki Mimaki, President of Nihon Hidankyo: nuclear weapons must be completely abolished. Some argue that the world is safer with nuclear weapons, but with them, there is always the risk of terrorist attacks, and entire regions could suffer immense nuclear damage. Politicians need to understand this.   To the people of the world, please eliminate nuclear weapons during our lifetime.   This is the wish of 114,000 hibakusha.  

A Highschool student working at the peace organization in Nagasaki also commented on the good news.  

 S/Shimada Akari: I am so happy that even with so many nominees in the world, Nihon Hidankyo was chosen.  There are many Hibakusha, A-bomb survivors in the world and it would be great if people can look into the fact that the nuclear threat is still around, even almost 80 years after WW2.