On August 9th, it marked the 81st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki by the United States in 1945. On Sunday, Nagasaki held a memorial and peace prayer ceremony for the atomic bomb victims, with representatives from around the world attending to mourn the victims and pray for world peace.
The ceremony took place at the Peace Park in Matsuyamamachi, Nagasaki, starting at 10:45 a.m. At 11:02 a.m., the exact time when the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki in 1945, a moment of silence was observed throughout the venue as a prayer for the victims.
This year, representatives from 98 countries including nuclear-armed nations and the European Union attended the event. Taiwan participated for the second consecutive year, while China did not send representatives for the second year in a row.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takai expressed deep condolences to the victims of the atomic bomb explosion at the ceremony, emphasizing that the tragedy caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 81 years ago must never be repeated.
She stated, “The destruction caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 81 years ago must never be repeated. Japan firmly adheres to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and is guided by the pledge to ‘make Nagasaki the last place to suffer an atomic bombing.’ As the only country to have experienced atomic bombings during World War II, we will continue steadfastly working towards a nuclear-free world.”
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and three days later, on August 9, the US military dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. It is estimated that by the end of 1945, approximately 70,000 people died in Nagasaki due to the atomic bomb; while in Hiroshima, the death toll was around 140,000.
On August 15, Japan surrendered, marking the end of World War II and bringing an end to Japan’s decades-long war and aggression in Asia.
Over the past 81 years, the number of atomic bomb survivors continues to decline. Currently, there are approximately 91,105 surviving atomic bomb victims in Japan, with an average age of over 86. As the survivors of the atomic bombings age, passing down the history of nuclear explosions and the memories of survivors to the next generation has become an ongoing challenge for Japanese society.