was eventually dropped in 1998. As mayor, Hiraoka worked to further cooperation between Hiroshima and cities in South Korea, thus leading to the Hiroshima-Daegu sister city agreement in 1997. The 1994 Asian Games were held in Hiroshima and hosted by Hiraoka as Mayor. His anti-nuclear activities led him to appear in 1995 as representative of the Japanese government in the International Court of Justice hearing on the legality of nuclear weapons. In late 1998, Hiraoka announced he will not run for third term as mayor, citing low voter participation in the 1995 mayoral election as an obstacle to any mayor wishing to have the people's approval. He did not run in the 1999 mayoral election, and retired after eight years of serving as Mayor of Hiroshima. Post mayoral activities Following retirement in 1999, he remained active for peace. In July 2005, he published an article in the Asahi Shimbun criticizing the custom of some Japanese politicians of honoring the memory of Japanese war criminals from the time of the Second World War. In December 2007 participated in a meeting with the mayor of Waitakere City in New Zealand to express protest over the whaling policy of the Japanese government. Also tried to convince both the US and the Japanese governments to allocate the funds required for the planned relocation of Radiation Effects Research Foundation facilities in Hiroshima. Writings Prejudice and Discrimination (Japanese) Neglected Strait (Japanese) Hiroshima, with Hope for Peace (Japanese) References External links Interviews with Takashi Hiraoka Statement by Hiraoka to the International Court of Justice 1927 births Living people Hiroshima Mayors of Hiroshima Japanese journalists Seoul National University alumni Waseda University alumni