Hiroshima on Wednesday commemorated the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing with a ceremony that highlighted the enduring horrors of nuclear warfare. The observance began with a minute of silence at 8:15 a.m. local time (23:15 GMT), marking the exact moment on August 6, 1945, when the U.S. aircraft Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ over the city, according to the Associated Press.
Japan Remembers The Hiroshima Tragedy
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba laid flowers at the cenotaph, joined by several other officials and dignitaries. Survivors of the bombing, many now in their late 80s and 90s, were also in attendance.
The ceremony took place amid renewed global tensions involving nuclear weapons, particularly following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and heightened nuclear rhetoric from major powers.
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima killed an estimated 140,000 people, with thousands more severely injured. Just three days later, the US dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing approximately 70,000 people.
These attacks precipitated Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945, effectively ending World War II and concluding nearly five decades of Japanese imperial expansion across Asia.
Hiroshima Survivors Call For Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
Despite the scale of devastation, the United States has never issued a formal apology for the bombings. This year, the US was represented at the memorial by its ambassador to Japan. Notably, Russia and China did not send representatives, AFP reported.
Survivors and their families used the occasion to express their growing discontent with global leaders, including Japan’s own government, for continuing to support nuclear deterrence policies rather than abolition.
Recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, in which he justified a June military strike on Iran by comparing it to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, drew particular ire. Survivors were also disappointed by the Japanese government’s muted response to Trump’s comments.
“Our biggest challenge now is to change nuclear weapons states that give us cold shoulders even just a little,” stated Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots survivors’ group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024 for its efforts to eliminate nuclear arms.
Japan To Continue Leading Efforts For Nuclear Disarmament
With the average age of survivors now exceeding 86, many see this year’s anniversary as the last major opportunity to publicly share their message with the world.
Tributes began at dawn in the city’s Peace Memorial Park, preceding the official ceremony.
Prime Minister Ishiba reiterated Japan’s official stance on Wednesday, stating that it is the nation’s mission “to take the lead… toward a world without nuclear weapons,” as per AFP.
While past Japanese leaders have highlighted Japan’s unique position as the only nation to have suffered nuclear attacks, many survivors view these declarations as empty rhetoric.
Survivors have long urged the Japanese government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or at least participate in its meetings as observers. However, Tokyo has consistently declined, citing its reliance on the US nuclear umbrella, AP reported.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
