Relatives of Atomic Bomb Survivors Vow to Ensure Nagasaki Remains the Last Nuclear Destination on its 80th Anniversary
In Nagasaki's Peace Park, approximately 2,600 people gathered on 9 August 2025, to remember the victims of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city 74 years ago. The bombing resulted in an estimated 70,000 deaths by the end of 1945, and the number of survivors has dwindled to 99, with an average age of 86.
Doves were released above the peace statue during the ceremony, and locals decorated a monument with colorful paper cranes and placed offerings on others. Mr. Suzuki, a survivor whose parents survived the attack, told the crowd that the existential crisis of humanity has become imminent to each and every one of us living on Earth.
Fui Takeshita, another survivor, longs for the abolition of nuclear weapons and prohibition of war. Koichi Kawano, an 85-year-old survivor, expressed a desire for a world without war. They, along with Teruko Yokoyama, an 83-year-old member of a survivor support organization, emphasized the need for a world without nuclear weapons and war.
Yokoyama's focus is on preserving records of the atomic bombing damages and survivors' stories. She believes that there are younger people taking action, and thus, there is hope. The survivors' average age of 86 indicates a dwindling number of firsthand accounts of the event.
The survivors, along with representatives from 90 other countries, are actively working to ensure that Nagasaki remains the last city to suffer such an attack. They advocate for and promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), a legally binding international agreement that prohibits the testing, development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons.
Established as international law in 2021, the TPNW has been signed by 94 countries and ratified by 73. Survivors and advocates urge more governments, especially nuclear-armed states, to join this treaty to legally prohibit nuclear weapons worldwide.
The combined actions of survivors, international organizations, scientists, cities, and some government representatives focus on building wide support for the TPNW and related disarmament efforts to ensure nuclear weapons are abolished and nuclear bombings like Nagasaki never recur.
Advocacy by survivors' groups, such as the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Association, has been instrumental in these efforts. They have issued joint calls with disarmament organizations like ICAN for all governments to commit to total nuclear disarmament through the TPNW. They highlight the catastrophic risks should nuclear weapons remain.
Grassroots and municipal campaigns, like the ICAN Cities Appeal, also play a significant role. Over 1,000 cities have joined, representing a strong grassroots voice for nuclear disarmament and peace. Public and policy action, scientific and expert advocacy, and calls for reparations to victims of nuclear tests and uranium mining are ongoing strategies by activists and survivors.
A minute's silence was observed and wreaths laid during the remembrance ceremony. The survivors' call for a world without nuclear weapons and war echoed through the park, a poignant reminder of the past and a hope for the future.
Doves released and paper cranes displayed demonstrate a collective call for an end to war-and-conflicts, as survivors speak about the need for a world without nuclear weapons within politics. Survivors and advocates push for the universality of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), emphasizing its importance in preventing future war-related tragedies.
