Hiroshima warns against nuclear weapons as it marks 80 years since A-bomb
"Among the world's political leaders, there is a growing belief that possessing nuclear weapons is unavoidable to protect their countries," he said, noting the US and Russia possess 90% of the world's nuclear warheads.
"This situation not only nullifies the lessons the international community has learned from the tragic history of the past, but also seriously undermines the frameworks that have been built for peace-building.
"To all the leaders around the world: please visit Hiroshima and witness for yourselves the reality of the atomic bombing."
Yoshikazu Horie, a 71-year-old tourist, expressed a similar sentiment.
"It feels more and more like history is repeating itself. Terrible things are happening in Europe. Even in Japan, in Asia, it's going the same way, it's very scary," he said.
"I've got grandchildren and I want peace so they can live their lives happily."
In the decades after the attacks, those who survived, called "hibakusha", often faced discrimination as rumours spread that they carried diseases and their offspring could be tainted. Their numbers fell below 100,000 for the first time this year.
Japan, the only country to have suffered nuclear attacks, has stated its commitment to nuclear disarmament but is not a signatory or observer of the UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons.
Reuters
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