Atomic catastrophe of 80 years ago recalls haunting fear in Nagasaki: An unseen dread descended upon it
In the heart of Peace Park, Nagasaki, 200 to 300 people gathered on a significant day, August 9, marking 80 years since the city was struck by a US atomic bomb. The event was a solemn commemoration, a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons, and a call for their abolition.
The city lay in ruins after the bombing, a stark testament to the horrors of nuclear warfare. Today, Nagasaki stands as a symbol of peace and resilience, a beacon for those who strive for a world free of nuclear weapons.
Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki Shiro presided over the commemoration, expressing his concerns about the current military situation and calling for an immediate ceasefire to disputes resolved by force. He also reiterated his desire for an immediate United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a treaty that has gained broad international backing among non-nuclear states.
As of August 2025, the treaty has been signed by 94 countries, with 73 having ratified or acceded to it, and 4 more formally adhering. This makes about half of the world's nations party to the treaty, which prohibits the development, testing, production, possession, use, and stockpiling of nuclear weapons.
However, none of the nuclear-armed states have joined the treaty, limiting its enforceability on major nuclear powers. This reflects a growing normative movement against nuclear weapons despite continuing global nuclear weapons modernization and spending, particularly by nuclear-armed states such as the U.S.
The treaty complements earlier agreements like the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which aims to ban nuclear explosions globally but has not entered into force due to lack of ratification by several key states, including some nuclear powers. Russia withdrew from the CTBT in 2023.
Despite this, the treaty is gaining support from many non-nuclear states and local governments, with campaigns like the Cities Appeal rallying cities worldwide to pressure their national governments to join the treaty.
Hiroshi Nishioka, a 93-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, described the terror he experienced in the years following the disaster to the BBC: "Although the war had ended, the atomic bomb brought an invisible terror." His testimony, along with those of other hibakusha, served as a powerful reminder of the human cost of nuclear weapons.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres supported Suzuki's call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, stating, "Nuclear weapons have no place in our world."
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing, the call for nuclear disarmament grows louder. The event in Nagasaki serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons and the urgent need for their abolition.
The event in Nagasaki serves as a call for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a treaty seeking to ban nuclear weapons and reduce their stockpiling, which has gained support from many non-nuclear states and local governments. Hiroshi Nishioka, a survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, continues to remind the world of the human cost of nuclear weapons, echoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres's sentiment that nuclear weapons have no place in our world, encouraging a stronger push for nuclear disarmament.
