We send our warmest greetings of solidarity to all who have gathered at the 20th anniversary of the antinuclear vigil in front of the White House.

Many of us in the Japanese peace movement have visited your vigil over the years, and back home greatly encouraged and inspired to stand up with renewed commitment for the abolition of nuclear weapons, justice and peace. You continued presence right in front of the center of the global power, has demonstrated to the world that there is strong resistance by the people in the U.S. against their own government's wrongdoings, and there are people who are dedicatedly working to put them right.

And we thank you for your continued support to the Japanese peace movement -- especially the signature campaign for the "Appeal from Hiroshima and Nagasaki-for a total ban and elimination of nuclear weapons". The hundreds of thousands of signatures you have collected so far from the people coming from all over the world are proof of your contribution to creating a nuclear-free world, and to achieving an "unequivocal undertaking to abolish nuclear arsenals" by the nuclear weapons states at the 2000 NPT Review.

Our common task now is to turn this promise into reality. The 2001 World Conference against A & H Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki this coming August will be the place to discuss how we will work together to achieve this goal. We are pleased to learn that your represenative Ellen Thomas is joining the World Conference, and we look forward to her sharing the experiences, lessons and perspectives with some 10,000 delegates from grass-roots movement in Japan and from all over the world, as well as some government representatives of the NAC and NAM countries.

Keep up your good work and let us continue to work together. We send our best wishes for continued good health.

Rieko Asato
Japan Council against A & H Bombs (Japan Gensuikyo)