Kazumi Matsui Urges Global Leaders to Abolish Nuclear Weapons During 81st Hiroshima Anniversary Ceremony
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called for the immediate abolition of nuclear weapons during the 81st anniversary of the city's atomic bombing on Thursday. During his peace declaration at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Matsui emphasized that policymakers should stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence, warning that accepting the use of force for personal prosperity risks cycles of violent retaliation. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also attended the ceremony, representing Japan's commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. While she acknowledged the severe global security environment, she noted that the path toward disarmament is not smooth. The ceremony featured a minute of silence at 8:15 a.m., marking the time the U.S. dropped the bomb. Approximately 50,000 people, including representatives from 121 countries, attended the event. The city's cenotaph now holds 353,639 names of victims, reflecting the growing importance of preserving the survivors' stories as their numbers dwindle.