HIROSHIMA, Japan: Thousands gathered in Hiroshima on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the world’s first wartime use of a nuclear bomb.
Survivors, government officials, and representatives from more than 120 countries and territories joined in solemn remembrance and renewed calls for global nuclear disarmament.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped a uranium bomb, codenamed Little Boy, on the western Japanese city. The blast instantly killed approximately 78,000 people, with tens of thousands more dying in the following months from burns and radiation-related illnesses.
Wednesday’s ceremony came amid rising global tensions and renewed fears of nuclear escalation, driven by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
At 8:15 a.m. the exact time the bomb detonated, the city held a one-minute silence to honor the victims. A bell tolled as attendees bowed their heads in reflection.
The 10,000-pound bomb created a mushroom cloud that rose over 60,000 feet, symbolizing the scale of destruction and the beginning of the nuclear age.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of preserving the memory of the bombing. “It is our duty to convey the reality of the atomic bombings not only to the people of Japan but also to the people of the world,” Ishiba said.
This year’s memorial was especially poignant as many hibakusha survivors of the bombing are now in their 80s and 90s, making the push to pass on their experiences even more urgent.
