Two members of a Japanese group of atomic bomb survivors that won last year's Nobel Peace Prize say they hope their voices will help discussions move forward at a UN conference on a treaty banning nuclear weapons.



The two hibakusha, Hamasumi Jiro and Wada Masako, spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday ahead of their trip to New York next month to attend the third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.



They are being sent by the Peace Prize-winning group Nihon Hidankyo to attend the conference at the UN headquarters from March 3 to 7.



Hamasumi is scheduled to give a speech on the first day. He was exposed to radiation in his mother's womb when an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima in 1945.



Hamasumi said he will talk about the efforts Nihon Hidankyo has made to ensure there will be no more hibakusha.



He said he wants to raise awareness about people like himself who were exposed in their mother's wombs.



He also expressed hope that through their efforts the hibakusha will help to advance the discussions.



Wada was exposed to radiation at the age of 1 in Nagasaki in 1945.



Wada said it was truly regrettable that the Japanese government decided not to attend the meeting as an observer without officials even disclosing how they reached that decision.



She said she will never stop pushing the government to participate.



During their stay in the United States from March 2 to 9, the two Nihon Hidankyo members will share their experiences at an international forum, a university and elsewhere.