Hiroshima Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing, Renews Global Call for Nuclear Disarmament

Hiroshima observed the solemn 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing with a powerful message against the growing normalization of nuclear weapons worldwide. In a ceremony marked by silence and reflection, thousands gathered at the Peace Memorial Park, including diplomats from 120 nations, as the city remembered the moment at 8:15 a.m. when the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb in 1945.

Mayor Kazumi Matsui used the occasion to urge world leaders to reject the increasing reliance on nuclear deterrence, warning that international tensions—particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East—are pushing the world closer to nuclear catastrophe. He called on the United States and Russia, who still control 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, to lead disarmament efforts.

The ceremony also highlighted the dwindling number of hibakusha—survivors of the bombing—whose average age now exceeds 86. One such survivor, Minoru Suzuto, 94, returned to the memorial to share his experiences and reaffirm the need to preserve historical memory before it fades.

Nihon Hidankyo, the organization representing hibakusha and winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, reiterated its plea for Japan to sign and ratify the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a move the Japanese government has avoided due to its security dependence on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

The United Nations was represented by Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, who emphasized that Hiroshima’s legacy must remain a moral guide in an increasingly unstable world.

With the number of living witnesses rapidly declining, Hiroshima’s 80th anniversary served as both a memorial and a call to action—urging the global community to honor the past by preventing nuclear devastation in the future.