"A world without nuclear weapons": Pope Francis welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Kishida

Fumio Kishida and Pope Francis / Photo EPA-EFE / VATICAN MEDIA

Pope Francis and the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, the only country affected by atomic bombs, met today to discuss their common hope for a world without nuclear weapons. Reuters.

Francis and Kishida met in the Vatican just before a general audience of thousands in St. Peter's Square.

"They talked about nuclear weapons and how their use and possession is unthinkable," said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.

A separate Vatican statement said talks with top Vatican diplomats had focused on the war in Ukraine, "emphasizing the urgency of dialogue and peace and expressing hope for a world free of nuclear weapons."

The two met on the same day that the Russian Foreign Ministry announced sanctions against 63 Japanese officials, including Kishida, for engaging in what he called "unacceptable rhetoric" against Moscow.

In a reading of the meeting, the Japanese Embassy in the Vatican said in a statement that the Pope and Kishida also discussed the launch of a ballistic missile from North Korea to the sea off its east coast on Wednesday and concerns about the nuclear potential of the north.

During his 2019 visit to Japan, Francis visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in 1945 became the only cities ever hit by atomic bombs, and appealed to world leaders to ensure that nuclear weapons were never used again.

Francis supports a UN agreement aimed at banning nuclear weapons, saying even possessing them for deterrence is immoral.

Dear reader,

Our access to web content is free, because we believe in equality in information, regardless of whether someone can pay or not. Therefore, in order to continue our work, we ask for the support of our community of readers by financially supporting the Free Press. Become a member of Sloboden Pechat to help the facilities that will enable us to deliver long-term and quality information and TOGETHER let's ensure a free and independent voice that will ALWAYS BE ON THE PEOPLE'S SIDE.

SUPPORT A FREE PRESS.
WITH AN INITIAL AMOUNT OF 60 DENARS

Video of the day