Thousands gathered in Nagasaki on Saturday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the city’s atomic bombing, with Mayor Shiro Suzuki warning that ongoing global conflicts risk bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.
On 9 August 1945, the western Japanese city was devastated when the United States dropped a 10,000-pound plutonium-239 bomb, known as “Fat Man”, killing an estimated 27,000 people instantly from a population of about 200,000. By the end of that year, the death toll from acute radiation exposure had risen to around 70,000. The bombing occurred three days after a uranium-235 bomb destroyed Hiroshima, prompting Japan’s surrender on 15 August and the end of World War Two.
At 11:02 a.m., the moment of the blast, participants observed a minute of silence before Suzuki urged world leaders to return to the principles of the United Nations Charter and take tangible steps to abolish nuclear weapons, stressing that further delay was “no longer permissible”. Calling the situation “a crisis of human survival”, he recounted a survivor’s account of horrific injuries and deaths, and appealed for a “global citizen” approach based on mutual understanding and solidarity.
Nagasaki was reportedly chosen by the U.S. military for its strategic importance as an industrial and port hub, with its hilly terrain believed to magnify the destructive force of the explosion.
The ceremony at Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park was attended by representatives from 95 countries and territories, including the United States, Israel, and Russia, the latter holding the world’s largest nuclear arsenal.
Speaking to Reuters, 14-year-old visitor Daiji Kawanaka from Osaka echoed the mayor’s call, saying the anniversary sparked peace discussions even among young people, and that it was important to take personal initiative toward peace.
Japan’s leading A-bomb survivors’ organisation, Nihon Hidankyo- awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for its anti-nuclear campaign continues to highlight the long-term suffering of survivors, or hibakusha, from radiation exposure and discrimination. With the number of survivors now below 100,000, their testimonies remain central to efforts advocating for a nuclear-free world.
Japan maintains its commitment to nuclear disarmament but is not a signatory or observer of the U.N. treaty banning nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions...
Freight on the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway could soon move faster across borders after Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye signed a new ...
At midnight on 30 September, the last U.S. troops are due to leave Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and cost the ...
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić resigned on Sunday, ending his second and final five-year term and paving the way for an early presidential election as the country prepares for a snap parliamentary vote on 25 October.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
At midnight on 30 September, the last U.S. troops are due to leave Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and cost the lives of around 4,500 American service members.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 29 September 2026, with the latest from Azerbaijan, from $10.8 billion in investment deals and Formula 1 drama to diplomacy and preparations for major FIFA tournaments.
Crude oil exports from major Middle Eastern producers rebounded in September to their highest level since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February, according to data from analytics firm Kpler.
Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Ukraine’s Black Sea region of Odesa overnight into Tuesday, damaging infrastructure and civilian sites, while Moscow said it had also targeted vessels carrying military cargo.
British police are investigating whether individuals linked to a foreign state were involved in an apparent plot targeting RAF Fairford, a British airbase used by the United States, while five suspects arrested in connection with the case are being released on bail.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment