Nagasaki solemnly observed the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing on Wednesday, with city officials and survivors renewing calls for a world free of nuclear weapons. The ceremony, held at the city's Peace Park, was attended by thousands, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
At 11:02 am—the exact moment the bomb detonated in 1945—attendees observed a minute of silence as bells tolled across the city. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki delivered a powerful speech, urging global leaders to abandon nuclear arsenals, particularly in light of rising tensions between nuclear-armed states.
Survivors Share Harrowing Memories
Atomic bomb survivors, known as hibakusha, recounted their traumatic experiences. "I saw people with melted skin begging for water," said one survivor. "No one should ever endure this again."
Global Call for Peace
Prime Minister Kishida, whose family hails from Hiroshima, pledged to continue Japan's efforts toward nuclear disarmament. However, critics argue that Japan's reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella undermines its peace advocacy.
The bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killed an estimated 74,000 people by year's end. Three days earlier, Hiroshima had suffered a similar fate, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
