Hiroshima, Aug 6 (KNS): Japan observed a solemn moment of silence on Wednesday morning, marking 80 years since the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War Two.

The ceremony was held at Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and attended by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba along with officials from around the world.

"Hiroshima is a symbol of the horrors of nuclear war," said Mayor Kazumi Matsui. "Japan is the only nation to have suffered an atomic bombing in war. Our people continue to hope for true and lasting peace."

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War Two. More than 200,000 people died, either instantly from the blast or later due to radiation and severe burns.

Survivors of the bombings, known as hibakusha, continue to share their painful memories. One survivor, Shingo Naito, recalled how he was just six years old when the bomb struck. His father, who died from his injuries, was badly burned and blinded. Naito now shares his story with students who are turning it into art to preserve history.

Another survivor, Satoshi Tanaka, who has battled multiple cancers caused by radiation exposure, compared today’s conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine to his own trauma.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel“Seeing the rubble, the destroyed cities, women and children fleeing—it all brings back the horror of Hiroshima,” he said.

In 2024, Nihon Hidankyo, a group representing atomic bomb survivors, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Mayor Matsui warned of rising global military tensions and growing belief in nuclear weapons as a means of security. He expressed concern that international peace frameworks, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, are weakening.

He urged Japan to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has already been signed by over 70 countries. However, Japan, along with nuclear powers like the US and Russia, has not signed the treaty, citing security concerns.

Despite differences, small protests and survivor voices continue to call for the total abolition of nuclear weapons.

“The world must raise its voice louder,” said Tanaka. “We are living alongside weapons that could destroy humanity many times over. It's time to act before it's too late.”(KNS)