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.
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Trump said the U.S. and Iran were making progress in peace talks, though direct negotiations remain premature. Meanwhile, Israel, reportedly, struck senior Hezbollah and Hamas figures and tensions over Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
A senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday (6 May), highlighting ongoing tensions despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted a swift end to the war with Iran, as Tehran considers a U.S.-backed peace proposal that sources say could formally end the conflict but leaves several core disputes unresolved.
Asian stocks surged to record highs on 7 May as investors priced in growing hopes of a potential Middle East peace deal, while oil prices eased and the U.S. dollar weakened amid shifting global risk sentiment.
Trump said the U.S. and Iran were making progress in peace talks, though direct negotiations remain premature. Meanwhile, Israel, reportedly, struck senior Hezbollah and Hamas figures and tensions over Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran wanted to negotiate and make a deal in comments to reporters on Wednesday (6 May). But earlier, he warned Washington would ramp up attacks if no agreement was reached.
Argentinian authorities are reconstructing the journeys of Dutch citizens who presented with symptoms of deadly hantavirus after visiting Argentina and Chile as part of a luxury cruise trip, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday (6 May)
The United Arab Emirate said it was dealing with missile and drone attacks from Iran for the second day in a row on Tuesday (5 May), despite denials from authorities in Tehran who threatened a "crushing response" if the UAE retaliated.
The 61st Venice Biennale has opened under grey skies and political tension, with disputes over Russia and Israel, resignations on the jury, and protests marking the start of one of the art world’s most high-profile events.
European Union countries and European Parliament lawmakers have agreed on a softened version of the bloc’s landmark artificial intelligence rules, including delayed implementation, in a move critics say reflects growing concessions to major technology firms.
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Latvian authorities said two drones entered NATO member Latvia from Russian territory and crashed on Thursday morning, with officials linking them to Ukraine’s wider drone operations against targets in Russia.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Global investors are showing early signs of diversification away from U.S. Treasuries as worldwide debt levels climbed to a record $353 trillion by the end of March of 2026, according to a new report from the Institute of International Finance (IIF) published on 6 May.
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