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International News: Hiroshima Marks 81 Years of Atomic Bombing, Japan PM Takaichi Calls for a World Without Nuclear Weapons

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International News | Hiroshima marks 81 years since the atomic bombing as Japan PM Sanae Takaichi calls for efforts toward a world where nuclear weapons are never used.

Tokyo, August 7: Hiroshima on Thursday observed the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the Japanese city at the end of World War II, with thousands gathering at the Peace Memorial Park to remember the victims and renew calls for an end to nuclear weapons.

The annual ceremony was held against the backdrop of renewed international debate over nuclear deterrence and growing concerns about the future of arms control. Around 50,000 people, including representatives from around 120 countries, attended the memorial gathering, according to reports. At exactly 8:15 a.m., the time the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, participants observed a minute of silence as a peace bell rang. �

AP News

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the ceremony for the first time as prime minister. In her remarks, she said Japan would pursue a practical approach toward the goal of creating a world in which nuclear weapons are never used, while working within the framework of international non-proliferation efforts. �

AP News

The ceremony came at a sensitive moment for Japan's nuclear policy. Tokyo continues to rely on the United States' extended nuclear deterrence for its national security, while domestic debate has intensified over the country's long-standing Three Non-Nuclear Principles.

Hiroshima mayor warns against nuclear deterrence

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui used the occasion to urge nuclear-armed powers to reconsider the idea of treating nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence.

Matsui warned that overlooking the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and relying on military power could create a cycle of violence that might eventually produce another Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

His message reflected one of the central themes of the annual ceremony: that the destruction witnessed in Hiroshima should not become merely a chapter in history but should remain a warning about the consequences of nuclear conflict. �

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Takaichi's nuclear policy under scrutiny

Prime Minister Takaichi's appearance also drew attention because of the ongoing discussion surrounding Japan's nuclear policy.

Japan officially follows the principles of not possessing, producing or allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons. However, its security dependence on the U.S. nuclear umbrella has created a difficult balance between its anti-nuclear identity and strategic security concerns.

Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings have repeatedly urged the Japanese government to take a stronger position against nuclear weapons and to participate more actively in international efforts aimed at banning them.

Japan has so far resisted signing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, citing security considerations and its alliance with Washington.

Survivors are disappearing with time

The passing years are also making the voices of the atomic bomb survivors increasingly rare.

According to Japan's Health Ministry, the number of officially recognized hibakusha had fallen to 91,105 as of the end of March 2026, while their average age reached 86.66 years. The number has declined steadily from a peak of 372,264 in 1981. �

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare +1

The shrinking survivor population has increased concern that first-hand accounts of the bombing could gradually disappear. Many survivors have therefore emphasized the need to preserve their experiences and pass them on to younger generations.

What happened in Hiroshima in 1945?

The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, during the final days of World War II. The attack destroyed much of the city and killed tens of thousands of people immediately, with many more dying later from injuries and radiation-related effects.

Three days later, on August 9, another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan announced its surrender on August 15, bringing World War II to an end.

The two attacks remain the only wartime uses of nuclear weapons.

UN calls for dialogue over confrontation

The United Nations also used the anniversary to reinforce its appeal for nuclear disarmament.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Hiroshima's history carries a warning about the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons. He called for a future in which the threat or use of such weapons becomes unthinkable and urged countries to choose dialogue, cooperation and shared security over confrontation.

The message comes at a time when nuclear disarmament efforts face serious international challenges. The aging of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors has added urgency to the annual remembrance, with many fearing that the world could lose the direct human testimony of those who experienced nuclear war.

For Hiroshima, the anniversary is therefore not only a memorial to the dead but also a continuing appeal to the living: that the horrors of August 1945 must never be repeated.

From Hiroshima's Memory to Today's Nuclear Debate

Hiroshima remains one of the strongest symbols of the human cost of nuclear warfare. Every year, the city's memorial ceremony brings together survivors, families, officials and international representatives to repeat a message that has remained relevant for decades: nuclear weapons cannot be treated simply as instruments of military strategy.

The challenge today is that the global security environment has become increasingly complicated. Nuclear powers continue to rely on deterrence, while conflicts and geopolitical rivalries are influencing defence policies around the world.

Japan occupies a particularly complicated position. It is the only country to have suffered wartime atomic bombings, yet it remains under the U.S. nuclear security umbrella. That creates a fundamental tension between its historic commitment to nuclear disarmament and its strategic security calculations.

The dwindling number of hibakusha makes the situation even more urgent. Their personal memories provide something that statistics cannot: a direct human account of what nuclear destruction means.

The real significance of Hiroshima's annual ceremony, therefore, lies not simply in remembering 1945. It lies in asking whether today's generation can prevent history from repeating itself. If the testimony of survivors is preserved and translated into meaningful diplomatic action, Hiroshima can remain not only a symbol of destruction but also a symbol of humanity's determination to choose peace.

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