In a powerful address marking the 78th anniversary of Nagasaki's atomic bombing, Mayor Shiro Suzuki delivered a stinging rebuke of China's rapid military expansion while commemorating the victims of the 1945 nuclear attack.
Emotional Remembrance Ceremony
The annual peace ceremony at Nagasaki's Peace Park saw thousands gather to remember the estimated 74,000 lives lost when the United States dropped the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb on August 9, 1945. The attack came just three days after Hiroshima's devastation and six days before Japan's surrender in World War II.
Mayor's Controversial Remarks
Mayor Suzuki broke with tradition by specifically calling out China's military activities, stating: "Worrying actions are evident in East Asia, including China's rapid military buildup and its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and South China Seas."
The remarks came as Japan faces increasing tensions with China over Taiwan and disputed islands in the East China Sea. Japan recently announced plans to double its defense spending over five years, citing growing regional threats.
Calls for Nuclear Disarmament
Suzuki urged world leaders to return to nuclear disarmament talks, emphasizing that "the path toward a world without nuclear weapons has become even more challenging." He referenced Russia's nuclear threats during its invasion of Ukraine as further evidence of growing nuclear dangers.
The ceremony concluded with the traditional release of white doves and a minute of silence at 11:02 am - the exact moment the bomb detonated in 1945.
