Nagasaki Remembers: Mayor Warns of Nuclear Threat as World Faces Rising Conflict

Shiro Suzuki's poignant Peace Declaration highlights the need to confront violent conflicts and avert the looming danger of nuclear warfare.

In a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Mayor Shiro Suzuki issued a stark warning about the dangers of escalating global conflicts that could lead to nuclear war. "We are witnessing a vicious cycle of confrontation and fragmentation,” he proclaimed during the somber event, recalling the devastation caused by the bomb on August 9, 1945, which resulted in an estimated 74,000 casualties.

Survivor accounts echoed in the ceremony as Hiroshi Nishioka, a 93-year-old witness to the horrors of the explosion, shared the lasting trauma experienced by the survivors. He described how even those who appeared unscathed began to suffer horrific effects, saying, "Even the lucky ones began to bleed from their gums and lose their hair."

The ceremony began with a moment of silence and the ringing of Nagasaki's twin cathedral bells, a symbolic gesture of peace, and included water offerings in remembrance of the victims who, in their final moments, desperately sought relief from the burning pain.

Suzuki urged immediate action to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence, noting the severity of contemporary wars including the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and conflicts involving Israel and Hamas. It was revealed that this year, Nagasaki extended invitations to representatives from various nations, including Israel and Russia, which was previously excluded due to security concerns.

As participants honored the memory of the attack’s victims, there was a distinct emphasis on learning from the past. Mazda Higuchi, a local resident, expressed gratitude that the tragedies are still remembered, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging these events as part of history.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force in 2021, remains contentious, as nuclear-capable nations continue to argue for the necessity of their arsenals for national security. Japan, while a proponent of nuclear disarmament, maintains that its security is reliant on U.S. nuclear support, complicating the discussion on global nuclear arms reduction.

The commemoration serves as a pressing reminder of the need for peace in a world increasingly fraught with conflict, urging a reevaluation of the path toward mutual destruction.