On the Anniversary of the Hiroshima Bombing, Japan Calls for the Destruction of Nuclear Weapons

On the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, on the morning of August 6, a ceremony was held to commemorate the event, where Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, and the Mayor of Hiroshima called for the destruction of nuclear weapons globally. Representatives from a hundred countries attended the ceremony related to the atomic bombing of Japan at the end of World War II. On August 6, the U.S. military dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, followed by another bomb on Nagasaki three days later. These were the only instances of nuclear weapons used in war, resulting in at least 129,000 deaths. A ruined building from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, known as the "Hiroshima Peace Memorial," hosts annual ceremonies around it. This year, in addition to the U.S. Ambassador to Tokyo, Rose Gottemoeller, the Deputy Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, also attended from the U.S. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ms. Gottemoeller is the first senior U.S. official, besides the ambassador, to participate in this annual event. The ceremony began with a minute of silence at 8:15 AM, in remembrance of the moment the bomb fell on Hiroshima. Following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, at least 129,000 people were killed. Shinzo Abe stated that Japan is the only country that has been targeted by a nuclear attack and is "committed to helping create a world without nuclear weapons." He mentioned that his government will continue efforts in this area. He added that this issue will be one of the important topics at next year's meeting of the foreign ministers of the seven major economic powers, which will also be held in Hiroshima. Simultaneously, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, who is in Asia, noted that the recent nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers highlights the significance of the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.