Nagasaki Marks 81st Anniversary as Mayor Warns of Nuclear Deterrence Risks

Nagasaki on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, with Mayor Shiro Suzuki delivering a stark warning against the growing reliance on nuclear deterrence. Speaking at the Peace Park ceremony, Suzuki described nuclear weapons as an "absolute evil" that can never coexist with humanity, and argued that the more nations depend on them, the greater the risk of nuclear war.

The anniversary comes as Japan's government, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, revises its defense policy to strengthen the military's offensive capabilities. Speculation has grown over whether Takaichi, who supports nuclear dissuasion, might allow nuclear weapons to be brought into the country, which would contradict Japan's third non-nuclear principle.

Suzuki directly addressed the Japanese government, demanding it uphold the war-renouncing Constitution, attend the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons review conference later this year, and stick to the three non-nuclear principles. He also called on leaders of nuclear states to recognize that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated how easily humans can cross the line.

The U.S. attack on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killed 70,000 people by the end of that year, three days after the Hiroshima bombing claimed 140,000 lives. Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending World War II.

Representatives from more than 90 countries attended the ceremony and observed a moment of silence at 11:02 a.m., the exact time the plutonium bomb, known as "Fat Man," was dropped by a B-29.

Prime Minister Takaichi, who attended the ceremony, reiterated her "realistic and pragmatic approach" toward a world without nuclear weapons. However, she remained ambiguous about the three non-nuclear principles and did not mention the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which Japan has refused to sign due to its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. She later told reporters that Japan's policy is to work within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Survivors, known as hibakusha, have expressed frustration with the government's support for nuclear deterrence, calling it insincere. Their numbers have dwindled to 91,105, with an average age exceeding 86, raising concerns about fading memories of the attack.