TOKYO: Tuesday marked the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. A solemn ceremony took place at the city’s Peace Memorial Park to honor the victims, with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and representatives from 109 countries, including nuclear powers such as the United States and Britain, in attendance.
An updated list of atomic bomb victims was placed inside a cenotaph at the park, now including names of survivors who passed away in the last year.
The list has grown to over 340,000 names. Hiroshima observed a moment of silence at 8:15 a.m., the exact time the bomb was dropped in 1945.
This year’s ceremony comes amid increased fears of nuclear weapons being used again, with global conflicts like Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine shaking the international order and making the path to nuclear disarmament appear increasingly distant.
The average age of survivors is now over 85, making it more challenging for them to advocate for peace. Despite this, global interest in Hiroshima’s message remains strong.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum welcomed approximately 1.98 million visitors last fiscal year, a record high.
The ongoing challenge is how to effectively convey the horrors of nuclear weapons to future generations
