The Japanese Prime Minister stated that the path to a world without nuclear weapons was becoming increasingly challenging.
ISLAMABAD: Today, Japan marked the 78th anniversary of the US atomic bombing on Hiroshima, where its mayor urged the abolition of nuclear weapons and called the Group of Seven leaders’ notion of nuclear deterrence a “folly”.
As the world commemorates the victims of the world’s first nuclear attack, Russia has raised the spectre of using nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine.
At the same time, the biopic Oppenheimer, which chronicles the creation of the atomic bomb, has become a box-office hit in the United States. However, critics have pointed out that the film largely ignores the destruction caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which occurred three days later on August 9, 1945.
The film has not yet announced its release in Japan.
In Japan, the distributor of the blockbuster film Barbie, which was released on the same day as Oppenheimer, stirred controversy by embracing fan-produced “Barbenheimer” memes. These memes depicted the actors in the title roles alongside images of nuclear blasts.
In May, Hiroshima was in the spotlight as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hosted a G7 summit in the western city, his home constituency. During the summit, G7 leaders issued a statement expressing their commitment to achieving disarmament. However, they also stated that if nuclear weapons exist, they should serve to deter aggression and prevent war.
Today, a peace bell tolled at 8:15 am (2315 GMT on Saturday), marking the time when the bomb was dropped. Approximately 50,000 participants, including aging survivors, took part in the outdoor memorial ceremony. They observed a moment of silence as the summer heat reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).
Leaders Call for Nuclear Disarmament Amid Rising Threats
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who was present at the ceremony along with Prime Minister Kishida, stated that leaders worldwide must confront the reality that certain policymakers are now voicing nuclear threats. He emphasized that this reveals the folly of nuclear deterrence theory.
The prime minister acknowledged that the road to a world without nuclear weapons is becoming steeper, partly due to Russia’s nuclear threats. However, he emphasized the increased importance of restoring international momentum towards achieving that goal.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his support for these efforts.
“World leaders have visited this city, seen its monuments, spoken with its brave survivors, and emerged emboldened to take up the cause of nuclear disarmament,” he said in remarks read by a UN representative. “More should do so, because the drums of nuclear war are beating once again.”
On August 6, the bomb nicknamed “Little Boy” dropped on Hiroshima caused the death of thousands instantly. There were bout 140,000 deaths by the end of the year. Japan surrendered on August 15.
