Komei Party Leader / News / p363670
August 2024
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August 7, 2024
79th “Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Day”
■ Peace Memorial Ceremony, 50,000 attendees
People offering flowers at the Atomic Bomb Memorial during the Peace Memorial Ceremony = 6th, Hiroshima City Peace Memorial Park
On the 6th, Hiroshima marked the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing. The city hosted a Peace Memorial Ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, with around 50,000 participants, including atomic bomb survivors, bereaved families, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Mayor Kazumi Matsui expressed concerns in his peace declaration, questioning whether the reliance on force to resolve international issues is becoming stronger. Citing the end of the Cold War as an example, he asserted that “if leaders engage in dialogue with resolute determination, critical situations can be resolved,” emphasizing the need to shift away from policies that depend on nuclear deterrence.
Representatives from 109 countries and the European Union (EU) attended the ceremony. In addition to government officials such as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tetsuo Saito (Komei Party), those from the Komei Party included President Natsuo Yamaguchi, Secretary-General of the House of Councillors Masaaki Tanigai, House of Councillors member Hiroshi Yamamoto, House of Representatives members Masaki Kusaka and Akira Hirabayashi, Hiroshima Prefectural Council members Shunji Kurihara, Ryoichi Oguma, Masaaki Ishizu, Chizuru Okabe, Kenichiro Inoue, and Takashi Aizawa, as well as Hiroshima City Council members Koji Nishida, Yoshio Usui, Sachiko Ishida, Shinji Kawamura, Yuichi Namikawa, Katsu Tanaka, Kazuhiro Kawamoto, and Reiko Sakijo.
At 8:15 AM, the time of the atomic bombing, a minute of silence was observed in sync with the “Bell of Peace.”
Mayor Matsui’s declaration underscored the importance of exchanges within civil society, especially among the youth. He called for the creation of a world that can share “a culture of peace.”
The Japanese government was again urged to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, along with a request for enhanced support for the aging atomic bomb survivors.
In his address, Prime Minister Kishida emphasized that working toward a world without nuclear weapons is “the mission of our country, the only nation to have suffered from atomic bombings in war.” He further stated, “We will lead the international community to raise momentum toward nuclear disarmament.”