Hiroshima marks 80 years, protesters oppose Military expansion

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Wednesday, August 6th, 2025

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Sources Xinhua
Hiroshima, August 6 – The Japanese city of Hiroshima held a solemn ceremony on Wednesday at Peace Memorial Park to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing. Citizens also gathered at the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome, voicing strong opposition to Japan’s growing military buildup and alliance with the United States.
From Tuesday evening, crowds assembled with banners reading “Stop nuclear war” and “The Japan-U.S. alliance is a war alliance,” urging the government to honor Japan’s pacifist constitution and pursue genuine peace.
Yasuhiro Ikkanda, co-representative of the protest organizers and descendant of atomic bomb victims, criticized the government’s rising defense budget, joint military drills with the U.S., and interest in “nuclear sharing.” He called these moves a dangerous shift away from Japan’s post-war peace commitments.
“The tragedy of Hiroshima must never be repeated,” Ikkanda said. “Our government should work for peace, not provoke future wars.”
At the official ceremony, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed Japan’s adherence to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged reflection on the horrors of nuclear weapons and the importance of peace.
Notably, official speeches avoided acknowledging Japan’s wartime role in Asia or the broader historical context of the atomic bombings.
On August 6 and 9, 1945, the U.S. dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While Japan remembers the devastation, critics say its government continues to overlook the suffering it caused during its wartime aggression in China and across Asia.