Relatives of bomb survivors vow to ensure Nagasaki stays as the final atomic bomb location on the 80th anniversary
Following the 80th anniversary of the Nagasaki atomic bombing, survivors, global leaders, and international organizations have renewed calls to abolish nuclear weapons and pursue real disarmament to end the existential nuclear threat.
On August 9, 1945, at 11.02am, the United States dropped a nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, resulting in the death of approximately 70,000 people by the end of that year. The bombing also left an indelible impact on survivors like Teruko Yokoyama, an 83-year-old member of a survivor organization, who lost her two sisters to radiation from the bomb.
Yokoyama, along with other survivors like Fui Takeshita and Koichi Kawano, emphasizes the importance of recording atomic bombing damages, survivors' stories, and educating new generations on the impact of the bomb. This focus on preserving records and educating new generations about the atomic bombing suggests a commitment to ensuring the history of the event is not forgotten.
During commemorative ceremonies in Nagasaki's Peace Park, approximately 2,600 survivors and representatives from 90 other countries gathered. Doves were released above the park's peace statue, and a minute's silence was observed, followed by wreaths being laid. The UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the world to listen to hibakusha testimonies, describing their voices as a "moral force for peace" and to "eradicate nuclear weapons" to protect current and future generations.
The Mayor of Nagasaki, Shiro Suzuki, whose parents survived the attack, addressed the crowd, calling for an immediate end to all wars worldwide. The UN Secretary-General delivered messages at the Nagasaki Peace Memorial reaffirming the need for real change to end the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons.
The testimonies of hibakusha continue to drive advocacy and education efforts globally, keeping the memory alive to promote peace and prevent a nuclear arms race resurgence. While Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, now lives under the US nuclear umbrella amid a shifting security environment, these commemorations have reinvigorated public and diplomatic discourse on nuclear disarmament, urging nations to honor their postwar pacifist commitments in the face of current geopolitical tensions.
In summary, the 80th anniversary ceremonies have catalyzed renewed global advocacy led by survivors and international leaders to abolish nuclear weapons, emphasize peace, and transform the moral lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki into concrete action toward a nuclear-free world. The survivors' calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons and everlasting world peace align with the Mayor's warning about the existential crisis of humanity.
- In the face of ongoing war-and-conflicts and geopolitical tensions, the Mayor of Nagasaki, a survivor himself, calls for an immediate end to all wars worldwide, aligning with the survivors' calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons for the sake of everlasting peace and to prevent a resurgence of a nuclear arms race.
- During the commemorative ceremonies in Nagasaki, global leaders, including the UN Secretary-General and the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, have urged nations to listen to hibakusha testimonies, viewing their voices as a "moral force for peace" and emphasizing the need to eradicate nuclear weapons to protect current and future generations amidst the backdrop of general news concerning politics and international relations.
