Nagasaki’s bells ring for the first time in 80 years to mark US atomic bombing
Nagasaki falls silent to remember US atomic bombing
- Nagasaki commemorated the 80th anniversary of the US atomic attack with a ceremony at Nagasaki Peace Park, attended by approximately 2,600 people and representatives from numerous countries.
- The commemoration included a moment of silence at 11:02 am, the exact time of the 1945 plutonium bomb explosion, and saw the twin bells of Urakami Cathedral ring together for the first time in 80 years.
- Mayor Shiro Suzuki, whose parents survived the attack, emphasised the city's commitment to ensuring Nagasaki remains the last atomic bombing site and called for the abolition of nuclear weapons and global peace.
- Survivors, now numbering around 99,130 with an average age of over 86, renewed their plea for nuclear disarmament, expressing concern that the world is moving in the opposite direction, and entrusting their hopes to younger generations.
- China notably did not send a representative to the ceremony, and last year's event faced controversy due to the absence of US and other Western envoys after Nagasaki declined to invite Israel.