Pope appeals to world leaders to renounce nuclear weapons

Pope Francis on Monday reportedly urged world leaders to renounce nuclear weapons during his trip to Japan, where he visited the only two cities to experience atomic bomb attacks.

“[I] invite all persons of good will to encourage and promote every necessary means of dissuasion so that the destruction generated by atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never take place again in human history,” Francis told dignitaries including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to Reuters. 

Francis also reportedly said that dialogue was “the only weapon worthy of man and capable of ensuring lasting peace.” 

Abe said Japan was committed to a world free of nuclear weapons, according to Reuters. 

Francis’s urging comes as North Korea continues to test missiles, even after President Trump’s visit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this year. 

Francis, who backs a United Nations treaty aimed at a nuclear weapons ban, will also discuss nuclear devastation during his Monday meeting with Emperor Naruhito, Reuters reports.