Nagasaki marks 81st atomic bomb anniversary

Key Points:

• Nagasaki commemorated the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, with Mayor Shiro Suzuki condemning nuclear weapons as "absolute evil" and criticizing the concept of nuclear deterrence.
• The anniversary coincided with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government revising defense policy to enhance military capabilities, raising speculation about potential changes to Japan's non-nuclear principles, including allowing nuclear weapons on Japanese soil.
• Suzuki urged the Japanese government to uphold its postwar non-nuclear principles, participate in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons review conference, and adhere to the country's war-renouncing Constitution.
• Prime Minister Takaichi maintained a pragmatic stance on nuclear disarmament, emphasizing Japan's current non-nuclear policy but avoiding commitment to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, citing reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
• Survivors of the atomic bombings have expressed frustration with the government's support for nuclear deterrence and have protested potential policy shifts, while concerns grow over the fading memories as the survivor population ages.