Nagasaki Mayor Calls for Global Peace on 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bomb

In a heartfelt Peace Declaration, the mayor of Nagasaki commemorates the horrors of the past while cautioning against the escalating tensions worldwide that could lead to another nuclear war.

The mayor of Nagasaki, Shiro Suzuki, made a poignant appeal for global peace during a solemn ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on the city. In his Peace Declaration delivered on August 9, 2023, Suzuki expressed deep concern over the rising wars around the world, stating, "Conflicts around the world are intensifying in a vicious cycle of confrontation and fragmentation." He warned that if this trajectory continues, humanity risks another catastrophic nuclear conflict.

The devastating bombing on August 9, 1945, resulted in the deaths of approximately 74,000 people and left countless survivors grappling with severe health repercussions from radiation exposure. This anniversary follows the recent commemoration of the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, which claimed around 140,000 lives. The Nagasaki bomb was even more potent, obliterating entire neighborhoods in mere seconds.

Attendees at the anniversary ceremony observed a moment of silence, honoring the lives lost and suffering endured. For the first time since the attack, the bells of Nagasaki's twin cathedrals tolled in unison, sending a message of peace worldwide. A symbolic act of offering water was also performed, reflecting the desperate pleas of victims who suffered severe burns after the blast.

Suzuki emphasized the need to cease aggressive hostilities, urging people to move away from a mindset of "force met with force." He expressed disbelief that, 80 years after the tragedy, the world remains fraught with violence instead of fostering peace.

Survivor Hiroshi Nishioka, who was only three kilometers from the bomb's epicenter, recounted the horror he experienced. "Even the lucky ones gradually began to bleed from their gums and lose their hair; one after another, they died," he recounted, highlighting that the atomic bomb's aftermath created lasting invisible terror.

Nagasaki resident Atsuko Higuchi shared her feelings of happiness at remembering the city's victims, stressing the importance of recognizing these historical events as real rather than relegating them to the past.

Amid ongoing global tensions, including the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Suzuki's message of peace resonates strongly. Notably, in a shift from past commemorations, Israel was invited this year along with Russia and its ally Belarus, which had been omitted due to security concerns related to the Ukraine invasion.

In light of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has been ratified by over 70 countries since its inception in 2021, the mayor called on global leaders to prioritize disarmament while acknowledging Japan's reliance on U.S. nuclear protection over the treaty. As the world reflects on the catastrophic events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the call for peace remains more urgent than ever.