Newsletters
Nagasaki on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city, as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine fuel renewed debate over nuclear weapons and Japan's longstanding pacifist stance.
A moment of silence was observed at 11:02 a.m. local time, marking the moment when the plutonium bomb codenamed "Fat Man," dropped by a U.S. bomber, exploded over the southwestern Japanese city on Aug. 9, 1945.
"Nuclear weapons are not a 'necessary evil' but an 'absolute evil,' and can never coexist with humanity," Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said in a Peace Declaration delivered during the annual memorial ceremony.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated the message she delivered during Thursday's Hiroshima commemoration, saying Japan continues to uphold its three non-nuclear principles.
Suzuki warned nuclear-armed states and countries relying on nuclear deterrence about the increasing risk of a war involving nuclear weapons, noting that more than 12,000 nuclear warheads remain in existence.
He also expressed concern over the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, where nuclear powers Russia and the U.S. are involved.
The commemoration comes as both conflicts continue and as debate grows in Japan over the role of nuclear weapons.
Takaichi said Japan would continue "realistic and practical" efforts toward achieving a world free of nuclear weapons, under its pledge to ensure that Nagasaki remains the last place to suffer a nuclear attack.
She said Japan carries a mission as the only country to have experienced the devastation of nuclear weapons in war.
"The importance of promoting an accurate understanding around the world of the realities of the atomic bombings is growing ever greater," Takaichi said.
This year's commemoration comes amid increasing debate over whether Japan should reconsider its longstanding three non-nuclear principles of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said last month that Tokyo needs a debate on nuclear weapons as some European countries seek greater nuclear deterrence.
The U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, during World War II left an estimated 140,000 people dead by the end of that year.
Three days later, an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people.
Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, bringing World War II to an end.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
