Shiro Suzuki, the mayor of Nagasaki, delivered a powerful Peace Declaration during the city's 80th commemoration of the atomic bombing, warning that ongoing global conflicts risk leading to nuclear warfare.
Nagasaki Mayor Calls for Peace as City Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing
Nagasaki Mayor Calls for Peace as City Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing
On the anniversary of the devastating atomic bombing, Nagasaki's mayor urges global leaders to halt escalating conflicts that could lead to nuclear war.
The mayor of Nagasaki has issued a poignant reminder for peace on the 80th anniversary of the city's catastrophic bombing by the US during World War II. In a heartfelt Peace Declaration, Shiro Suzuki urged an end to global wars, emphasizing the "vicious cycle of confrontation and fragmentation" that could ultimately lead humanity to nuclear disaster.
"The trajectory we are on could thrust us into a nuclear war," Suzuki proclaimed during a solemn event held on August 9, 2023, drawing attention to the dire situation of amplified conflicts worldwide. The 1945 attack killed around 74,000 individuals and was one of the two devastations that marked the use of atomic weapons in warfare, the first being the bombing of Hiroshima just days earlier — an event which claimed approximately 140,000 lives.
This commemorative ceremony began with a moment of silence and featured an unprecedented ringing of both cathedral bells in the city, symbolizing a unified call for global peace. Attendees participated in a symbolic water offering, honoring those who perished in the catastrophic blast, as many victims had sought water in their agony after the bomb was dropped.
"I wonder who could have imagined that our world would become so conflict-ridden," Suzuki continued, reminding all of the ongoing wars, including the one between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict involving Israel and Hamas.
Survivor Hiroshi Nishioka, aged 93 and a witness to the horror unleashed by the bomb, recounted the agonizing aftermath where many suffered silently, their lives marked by invisible threats of radiation, even after the war had officially ended. The recognition of the past was echoed by Nagasaki resident Atsuko Higuchi, who attested to the importance of remembering these events as part of the ongoing human story.
This year's ceremony saw the inclusion of more nations in attendance, with an acknowledgment of the international Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, established in 2021; however, many nuclear powers, including Japan, still oppose the treaty citing security concerns derived from their nuclear arsenals.
As the legacy of Nagasaki resonates globally, Shiro Suzuki's call to action stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of conflict and the imperative for peaceful resolutions in our increasingly fragmented world.
