Nagasaki commemorated the 80th anniversary of the US atomic attack with twin cathedral bells ringing in unison in Nagasaki for the first time in 80 years.
This followed the devastating attack on Hiroshima three days earlier, which killed 140,000. Japan’s surrender on 15 August 1945 brought an end to the Second World War and nearly half a century of Japanese aggression across Asia.
On Saturday at 11.02 am, the moment the plutonium bomb exploded above Nagasaki, participants observed a moment of silence as a peace bell rang.
The twin bells at Urakami Cathedral, which were destroyed in the bombing, are to ring together again for the first time. One of the bells had gone missing after the attack but was restored by volunteers.
About 2,600 people, including representatives from more than countries, attended the event at Nagasaki Peace Park, where Mayor Shiro Suzuki and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke.
Dozens of doves, a symbol of peace, were released after a speech by Suzuki, whose parents are survivors of the attack.
He said the city’s memories of the bombing are “a common heritage and should be passed down for generations” in and outside Japan.
“The existential crisis of humanity has become imminent to each and every one of us living on Earth,” Suzuki said.
“In order to make Nagasaki the last atomic bombing site now and forever, we will go hand-in-hand with global citizens and devote our utmost efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realisation of everlasting world peace.”
Before the event, survivors renewed their poignant plea for the city to remain the last place on Earth ever hit by a nuclear bomb.
Despite the profound pain from their wounds, the discrimination they faced, and the debilitating illnesses caused by radiation, these dedicated survivors have consistently called for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Yet, as this significant anniversary is commemorated on Saturday, they voice growing concern that the world appears to be moving in the opposite direction, away from their shared goal.
Now, the ageing survivors and their supporters are entrusting the younger generation with their hopes for nuclear disarmament, stressing that the attack is not merely distant history but a vital issue for their future.
Teruko Yokoyama, an 83-year-old member of a Nagasaki organisation supporting survivors, said she feels the absence of those she has worked with, which fuels her strong desire to document the lives of remaining survivors.
The number of survivors has fallen to 99,130, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to recall the attack clearly.
“We must keep records of the atomic bombing damages of the survivors and their lifetime story,” said Yokoyama, whose two sisters died after suffering illnesses linked to radiation.
Her organisation has started to digitalise the narratives of survivors for viewing on YouTube and other social media platforms with the help of a new generation.
“There are younger people who are beginning to take action,” Yokoyama told The Associated Press on Friday. “So I think we don’t have to get depressed yet.”
Nagasaki invited representatives from all countries to attend the ceremony on Saturday. China notably notified the city that it would not be present without providing a reason.
The ceremony last year stirred controversy due to the absence of the US ambassador and other Western envoys in response to the Japanese city’s refusal to invite Israel.
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