On March 1, 1954, the United States carried out its largest hydrogen bomb test, 'Castle Bravo', at Bikini Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Castle Bravo is said to be approximately 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima Japan on August 6, 1945.

The explosion resulted in not only radioactive contamination affecting crews of many fishing boats including Marshall islanders, and the Daigo Fukuryu Maru, a tuna fishing boat in Yaizu Port that operated in the coastal waters but also triggered air and ocean currents that polluted the Pacific and the Indian Oceans.

On March 1, 2020, at the Kotokuin Temple in Yaizu City, the KUBOYAMA Aikichi memorial service called "Oath Gathering", in memory of the crew members of Daigo Fukuryu Maru was held. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis only about 50 people participated. Usually, they have 1,500 participants every year.

 

     　 

On behalf of the Shizuoka Prefecture Executive Committee of Bikini Day on March 1, Mr.KITO Isao, President of the Shizuoka Prefecture Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs read 'the 66 years after the disaster, 2020 Bikini Day Appeal on March 1', which got applause from participants.

The appeal is as follows:

〇Let's take a nationwide action from the grassroots, starting from the "66 years after the disaster, 2020 Bikini Day Appeal on March 1".

〇In the year of completion of the 'Hibakusha Appeal', let's tremendously increase the number of signatures by hundreds of millions of people around the world.　The word 'Hibakusha' means the surviving victims of atomic bombs. 

〇Let's spread the movement to call on the Government of Japan to support, sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

〇Let's ask the Government of Japan for a detailed investigation of the Bikini damage, help for the victims and compensation.

〇Let's oppose the restart of nuclear power in Japan and call for a move to switch from nuclear power to renewable energy.

〇Let's spread the reality of atomic bombing by holding A-bomb survivors' testimony and photo exhibitions nationwide.

〇Let's connect peace marches to all municipalities with the hope to abolish nuclear weapons.

〇No More Hiroshimas, No More Nagasakis, No More Bikinis, No More Fukushimas, No More Hibakushas, No More War.

In 2020, the march for the KUBOYAMA Aikichi memorial service 'Bozen-sai (Oath Gathering)', and the gathering for Bikini Day appeal on March 1 have been canceled due to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Shizuoka Prefecture Consumer Co-operative Union aims at the prompt elimination of nuclear weapons. They promote the signature campaign of Hibakusha appeal and organize Peace Action events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August in cooperation with A-bomb survivors and other organizations.