LOC10:39
07:39 GMT
TOKYO, Aug 6 (KUNA) -- Japan on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, renewing its call for a world free of nuclear weapons amid rising global tensions.
About 55,000 people, including Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ambassadors from 120 nations and regions, and representatives of atomic bomb survivors, gathered at the Peace Memorial Park near ground zero in Hiroshima.
The ceremony began with a moment of silence at 8:15 a.m. (23:15 GMT Tuesday), the exact time when the US B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb, killing an estimated 140,000 people by the end of the year.
In his Peace Declaration, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged world leaders to move beyond self-interest and revisit the lessons of history.
"Some policymakers now believe nuclear weapons are necessary for national defense. This disregards the tragic lessons the world has learned," he said.
He also emphasized the importance of youth-led civil movements in shifting public opinion toward disarmament.
The city updated its registry of atomic bomb victims to 349,246, including 4,940 who died or were confirmed dead in the past year.
Prime Minister Ishiba said in his speech that Japan, as the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack in war, will lead global efforts toward nuclear disarmament. "Japan remains committed to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and will act as a bridge between nuclear and non-nuclear states,"
He further affirmed that Japan would continue diplomatic engagement to reduce reliance on nuclear deterrence and promote international dialogue.
The commemoration took place against a backdrop of growing international instability, including the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East.
This year's ceremony also followed the awarding of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, for its long-standing efforts to abolish nuclear weapons.
With the average age of survivors now over 86, Hiroshima's mayor stressed the importance of conveying their experiences to younger generations. "Our youth must recognize that misguided security policies can lead to inhumane consequences,"
The Japanese government was urged by the mayor to attend next year's review conference of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as an observer. (end)
mk.aai