Japan solemnly marked the 78th anniversary of the US atomic bombing on Hiroshima, with its mayor, Kazumi Matsui, calling for the global abolition of nuclear weapons. The ceremony also witnessed criticism of the Group of Seven leaders’ (G7) stance on nuclear deterrence as Russia raised the spectre of using nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine.
On Sunday, the outdoor memorial ceremony saw around 50,000 participants, including aging survivors, gather to pay their respects at 8:15 am, the exact time when the bomb was dropped. The bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy,” instantly killed thousands of people and claimed approximately 140,000 lives by the end of 1945. Three days later, on August 9, 1945, Nagasaki was also bombed.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged world leaders to confront the reality of nuclear threats, criticising the G7 leaders’ notion of nuclear deterrence as a “folly.” He called for renewed international momentum towards nuclear disarmament, emphasising the importance of eliminating nuclear weapons despite the challenging geopolitical climate.
The release of the biopic “Oppenheimer” in the United States, chronicling the creation of the atomic bomb, has attracted attention, but some have criticised the film for neglecting to adequately address the devastation caused by the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The film’s release in Japan is yet to be announced.
In May, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted a G7 summit in Hiroshima, his home constituency. During the summit, the G7 leaders expressed their commitment to disarmament, acknowledging the role of nuclear weapons in deterring aggression and preventing war. However, Mayor Kazumi Matsui’s call for complete nuclear disarmament resonates with growing concerns over Russia’s nuclear threats amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced his support for nuclear disarmament, calling on more world leaders to follow suit. He emphasised the importance of learning from Hiroshima’s tragic history, as the “drums of nuclear war are beating once again.”
As the ceremony paid tribute to the victims and survivors of the world’s first nuclear attack, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida acknowledged that the road to a world without nuclear weapons was becoming more challenging due, in part, to Russia’s nuclear threats. Nevertheless, he emphasised the necessity of fostering international momentum towards achieving a world free from the specter of nuclear warfare.
