Memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing takes place in Nagasaki
A memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the American atomic bombing of Nagasaki is taking place on August 9 in the city's Peace Park.
As Report informs, at 11:02 local time (06:02 Baku time) — the moment of the atomic bomb's explosion in 1945 — a minute of silence was observed in Japan.
Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki, in his annual Peace Declaration, called for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons, describing them as an absolute evil. He criticized the concept of nuclear deterrence as extremely dangerous and fragile, emphasizing that such arsenals cannot coexist with humanity. The head of the city urged world leaders to return to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, to the restoration of multilateral cooperation, and to the protection of human dignity. A speech by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is also planned.
Representatives of about 100 countries and regions (including nuclear powers), as well as the European Union, are taking part in the events. On the eve, actions by peacekeeping organizations and the Nihon Hidankyo association, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024, were held in the city. It should be noted that the US Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, was absent from the event; the American side was represented by the deputy head of the diplomatic mission in Tokyo.
Nagasaki became the second Japanese city after Hiroshima to be subjected to an American nuclear strike in August 1945. These strikes remain the only case of the combat use of nuclear weapons in history.
