Hiroshima marks 81st anniversary of US atomic bombing

Key Points:

• Hiroshima commemorated the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, with Mayor Kazumi Matsui condemning the justification of nuclear weapons as deterrence and warning of potential cycles of violent retaliation.
• About 50,000 attendees, including representatives from 120 countries such as the U.S. and Iran, participated in the ceremony, which included a moment of silence at the exact time the bomb was dropped.
• Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, attending for the first time, emphasized a "realistic approach" to nuclear non-use but hinted at possible revisions to Japan’s postwar non-nuclear principles, including the potential allowance of nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.
• Survivors expressed concern over growing international support for nuclear deterrence, while Japan continues to rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and has declined to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted Hiroshima as a symbol of resilience and urged global cooperation to make the threat or use of nuclear weapons unthinkable, advocating dialogue and common security.