Hiroshima mayor issues warning to West over nuclear threats

The mayor of Hiroshima called on the world to abandon reliance on nuclear deterrence during a solemn ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing that devastated the city.

Hiroshima

Kazumi Matsui, speaking at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, warned that ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East were fueling acceptance of nuclear weapons and undermining lessons learned from the destruction caused in 1945. “Policymakers in some countries even accept the idea that ‘nuclear weapons are essential for national defense,’” Matsui said. “Take to heart the peace-loving spirit of Hiroshima, then begin immediately discussing a security framework based on trust through dialogue.”

Remembering Hiroshima

On August 6, 1945, a U.S. B-29 bomber dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, killing tens of thousands instantly. Three days later, another bomb leveled Nagasaki, leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II. Nearly 350,000 deaths have since been attributed to the Hiroshima bombing, according to the city. This year’s commemoration drew survivors, dignitaries, and international representatives. Attendees released doves in what many consider one of the final occasions where significant numbers of survivors, now just under 100,000, can share firsthand accounts. Matsui urged younger generations to understand that nuclear arms could bring “utterly inhumane” consequences for their futures. He also pressed for more substantial efforts to ensure nuclear weapons “be abolished for a genuinely peaceful world,” according to The Guardian.

The ceremony

The ceremony included the addition of 4,940 names of registered survivors who died over the past year to a registry inside the cenotaph. Japanese media reported that Russia did not send an official representative, though its ally Belarus attended for the first time in four years. Taiwanese and Palestinian representatives were also present for the first time. Some survivors used the moment to share deeply personal reflections. Yoshie Yokoyama, 96, recalled the loss of her family members to the Hiroshima blast. “My parents and grandparents had died from the Hiroshima attack. My parents-in-law also died, so my husband couldn’t see them again when he came back from battlefields after the war. People are still suffering,” she said.

Nuclear weapons

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement emphasizing that nuclear weapons remain a threat to peace. “The very weapons that brought such devastation to Hiroshima and Nagasaki are once again being treated as tools of coercion,” he warned. As nuclear tensions persist in global conflicts, the voices from Hiroshima serve as a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of atomic warfare — and a plea not to repeat history.

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