Latest news with #NagasakiPeaceMemorialCeremony
Yomiuri Shimbun
09-08-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Nagasaki Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing; Taiwan Attends Ceremony for 1st Time
NAGASAKI — Survivors and the families of the diseased paid tribute to the victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki during the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony on Saturday, the 80th anniversary. More than 4,000 people, also including Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and ambassadors and other representatives from 94 countries and regions, attended the ceremony held at the Nagasaki Peace Park in the city. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki spoke about conflicts occurring around the world and expressed a sense of crisis, saying in the Nagasaki Peace Declaration, 'If we continue on this trajectory, we will end up thrusting ourselves into a nuclear war.' Suzuki himself is a second-generation hibakusha atomic bomb survivor. 'In order to make Nagasaki the last atomic-bombed city, it is essential to show a specific course of action for achieving the abolition of nuclear weapons,' the mayor added. Ambassadors from countries and regions that did not attend last year's ceremony due to Nagasaki's decision not to invite Israel amid its attacks on Gaza — including nuclear powers the United States and the United Kingdom — were in attendance this year. Israel attended this year's ceremony. Russia, which continues its aggression against Ukraine, and its ally Belarus attended the ceremony for the first time in four years. Taiwan participated in the event for the first time. However, China and Ukraine, which typically attend the ceremony, were absent. At 11:02 a.m., the time the atomic bomb exploded, the Bell of Nagasaki in the park was rung, and participants offered silent prayers to pay tribute to the victims. In his declaration, Suzuki talked about the late Senji Yamaguchi, who in 1982 became the first hibakusha to address the U.N. General Assembly, and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo (Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organizations). 'Though the power of one person alone may be weak, if it will lead to great force to open a path to the future,' Suzuki said. Suzuki's peace declaration was followed by the 'Pledge for Peace' read by Hiroshi Nishioka, who was representing the survivors. At 93 years old, Nishioka was the oldest hibakusha to make the pledge. In his address, Ishiba said: 'We must pass down the memories of what unfolded here in Japan 80 years ago — the reality and the tragedy of war, and the brutal impact of the harm wrought by the atomic bombings. We must not allow those memories to fade away under any circumstances.' Ishiba also quoted the late Takashi Nagai, a doctor and survivor of the bombing who devoted himself to treatment of other A-bomb sufferers in the city. 'The devastation that occurred in Nagasaki and Hiroshima must never be repeated,' he said. At the ceremony, three notebooks containing the names of 3,167 people who were exposed to the atomic bombing and were confirmed to have died in the year through the end of July were dedicated. The number those who have died after being exposed to the atomic bombings stands at 201,942.
The Mainichi
09-08-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Text of Japan PM Ishiba's A-bomb anniversary speech in Nagasaki
NAGASAKI (Kyodo) -- The following is the text of a speech delivered by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at a memorial ceremony in Nagasaki on Saturday marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city. Today, on the occasion of the opening of the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, as prime minister, I reverently express my sincere condolences to the souls who were victims of the atomic bomb. I also extend my heartfelt sympathy to those still suffering even now from the aftereffects of the atomic bomb. It was 80 years ago today that this city was reduced to ashes in an instant by a single atomic bomb, leaving not a single tree or blade of grass. The lives and futures of what is said to be well more than 70,000 souls were obliterated by a plutonium-type bomb whose power surpassed that of the one dropped on Hiroshima. Many of those who perished were ordinary citizens. Even those who somehow escaped death despite this horrific scene suffered long-term health problems. Now, 80 years later, as the division within the international community widens over approaches to nuclear disarmament, we find ourselves facing an extremely harsh security environment. But even in the most severe circumstances, the mission for Japan, as the only country to have experienced the horror of nuclear devastation in war, is to lead the efforts of the international community to bring about "a world without nuclear war" and "a world without nuclear weapons" while firmly upholding the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Taking one step forward and then another, we will steadily build up efforts over time to realize just such a world. The foundation on which this is based is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the mainstay of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. As the world prepares for next year's Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, Japan, based on the Hiroshima Action Plan, will tenaciously urge both nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states to demonstrate the spirit of dialogue and cooperation to the fullest and act in unity in working towards a meaningful outcome. Japan will also continue to press forward with realistic and practical measures. Communicating the realities of the atomic bombings is tremendously important as a starting point for all efforts aimed at nuclear disarmament. We have urged leaders and future leaders from all around the world to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and many have come to see these cities with their own eyes. The awarding of the prestigious honor of the Nobel Peace Prize last year to Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, was truly momentous, and I express my wholehearted respect to Nihon Hidankyo for its work over so many years in promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons and advancing understanding of the tragic realities of the atomic bombings. Since taking office as prime minister, I have visited Ioto, a place of staggering loss of life during the war, the Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum in Okinawa, and Hiroshima, where an atomic bombing took place, and today I have come here to Nagasaki. We must pass down as memories what unfolded here in Japan 80 years ago -- the reality and the tragedy of war, and the brutal impact of the harm wrought by the atomic bombings. We must not allow those memories to fade away under any circumstances. I stand determined to step up our efforts to advance accurate understanding of the terrible realities of the atomic bombings across generations and beyond national borders. The Government will continue to advance comprehensive relief measures covering health and medical services and welfare of atomic bomb survivors, who are advancing in years. We will work to conduct screenings for recognizing atomic bomb diseases as quickly as we can so that we can convey the results as soon as possible. In December we began providing to people who experienced the atomic bombings medical expense assistance equivalent to that provided to atomic bomb survivors for a wide range of common diseases. We will continue to implement these measures steadily. Just now, ending an interlude spanning 80 years, two Angelus bells, pealing in unison, rang out with the same tonal resonance they did in the past, together with the Bell of Nagasaki here in Peace Park. "It is my earnest prayer that Urakami may be the world's final atomic plain." These words referencing the devastated Urakami district of the city were left to us by the late Dr. Nagai Takashi, who survived the atomic bombing while working at Nagasaki Medical College. The devastation that occurred in Nagasaki and Hiroshima must never be repeated. The right hand of the Peace Statue points skyward, denoting atomic weaponry, while its left hand reaches out horizontally, in a prayer for peace. Standing before this Peace Statue, whose gently closed eyes are imbued with mourning for the victims, I pledge once again that Japan will continue to make its utmost efforts for the realization of a world without nuclear war and a world without nuclear weapons, as well as for the realization of eternal peace. I will end my address with my heartfelt prayers that the souls of those who fell victim to the atomic bombing rest in peace. I also pray sincerely for the inner peace of the bereaved families and the atomic bomb survivors as well as all the participants today and the people of Nagasaki City.
Asahi Shimbun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Nagasaki to invite Russia, Israel to A-bomb memorial event
Last year's Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony was held in the city on Aug. 9, 2024, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombing. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) NAGASAKI—In a break from last year's snubs, the city government here will invite Russia, Belarus and Israel to the annual Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony, Mayor Shiro Suzuki announced at a May 8 news conference. 'We'd like every country to gather for the ceremony in Nagasaki, where an atomic bomb was dropped, despite all the divisions,' Suzuki said. The choice is a departure from the city's stance last year where the three were not invited. Israel's exclusion earned the city criticism and backlash from countries including the United States and Britain. Both nations' ambassadors and those from four other major countries and the EU skipped the 2024 ceremony. Each year, the city sends invitations to foreign diplomatic missions in Japan for its annual peace ceremony that is held on the Aug. 9 anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. However, since 2022 it has refrained from inviting Russia and Belarus because of the Russian invasion to Ukraine. Israel was added to this list last year in light of its continued attacks on Gaza in Palestine; organizers were concerned about potential protests and other unpredictable risks during the ceremony. Rahm Emanuel, then-U.S. ambassador to Japan, argued this was not the case and the snub was for political reasons rather than security risks. Suzuki said the reason for this year's change was made based on his experience attending the third Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The meeting of the committee was held at the U.N. headquarters in New York from April 28 to May 9. Suzuki felt the international situation around realizing a world without nuclear weapons was "extremely severe" during the meeting. 'I want them to witness and feel, with their eyes, ears and hearts, the cruel and inhumane consequences of nuclear weapons in today's deeply divided world,' he said. The city plans to invite a total of 157 countries and regions to this year's event. Bag checks and increased security are part of its risk management plan and it hopes to carry out the ceremony in a solemn and peaceful setting. Hiroshima, which was bombed three days before Nagasaki, did not invite Russia and Belarus to its annual ceremony last year. The city was criticized for its "double standard" in choosing to welcome Israel. This year, it is changing its system of extending "invitations" and will instead "notify" entities of the event.
