Nagasaki commemorates 80 years since the A-bomb detonation; survivors entrust the pursuit of a nuclear ban to future generations
Remembrance and Urgent Calls for Peace at Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorials
The cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, sites of the devastating atomic bombings during World War II, held their annual memorial services this week, with survivors, political leaders, and youth gathering to remember the past and call for a nuclear-free future.
In Hiroshima, 93-year-old survivor Hiroshi Nishioka spoke at the memorial, urging the world to avoid the use of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated Japan's pursuit of a nuclear-free world and pledged to promote dialogue and cooperation at the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons review conference in 2026. Mayor Shiro Suzuki also addressed the crowd.
Similarly, in Nagasaki, 85-year-old survivor Koichi Kawano expressed a desire for a world without war. The city hosted a peace forum, where survivors shared their stories with more than 300 young people from around the country. About 2,600 people, including representatives from more than 90 countries, attended the memorial event at Nagasaki Peace Park.
The bombing of Hiroshima occurred three days prior to the Nagasaki attack and killed 140,000 people, while the Nagasaki attack killed approximately 70,000 people by the end of 1945. The Second World War ended on August 15, 1945, following the Nagasaki attack.
The immediate historical context involved Japan’s refusal to surrender unconditionally despite devastating conventional bombing campaigns, and the geopolitical context of the emerging Cold War rivalry with the Soviet Union. The U.S. aimed to force a swift Japanese surrender, avoiding a costly land invasion, while also demonstrating military power to the Soviets.
The bombings triggered profound global reflections on the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons. The devastation helped catalyze the postwar nuclear arms race, growing international movements and treaties aimed at nuclear arms control and disarmament, and ongoing ethical debates about the justification of the bombings.
The number of Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors has fallen to 99,130, with their average age exceeding 86. Fumi Takeshita, an 83-year-old survivor, visits schools to share her experience and urge children to prevent war. Teruko Yokoyama, an 83-year-old member of a Nagasaki organization supporting survivors, thinks of the growing absence of those she had worked with and seeks to document the lives of other survivors.
The government of China notified Nagasaki that it wouldn't attend the ceremony without providing a reason. Dozens of doves were released after a speech by Mayor Shiro Suzuki. Urakami Cathedral, which was destroyed in the Nagasaki bombing, had one of its bells restored by volunteers. Seiichiro Mise, a 90-year-old survivor, hands seeds of "flowers of peace" to younger generations.
At 11:02 a.m., a moment of silence was observed as a bell rang, marking the exact time of the Nagasaki bomb explosion. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki stand as pivotal moments that not only ended WWII in the Pacific but also ushered in the nuclear age, shaping decades of strategic deterrence, arms control efforts, and non-proliferation initiatives aimed at preventing future nuclear catastrophes.
During the memorial services, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke about the weather, mentioning his anticipation for continued peace in Japan and beyond as a crucial part of achieving a nuclear-free world. Meanwhile, in a session at the Nagasaki peace forum, general-news topics including the ongoing struggles faced by atomic bomb survivors, the decline of their numbers, and the increasing significance of their stories, were discussed among the youth attendees.
