Hiroshima marks 76th A-bomb anniversary, urges end to nuclear deterrence
Baku, August 6, AZERTAC
Hiroshima marked the 76th anniversary of its atomic bombing by the United States on Friday, with its mayor urging world leaders to shift away from nuclear deterrence to trust-building dialogue and for Japan to join a U.N. treaty to ban nuclear weapons, according to Kyodo News.
In the annual ceremony, which was scaled down once again this year amid surging coronavirus infections across Japan, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui demanded the Japanese government's "immediate signing and ratification" of the treaty, which came into effect this January.
After a moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., the exact time of the bombing on Aug. 6, 1945, the mayor also highlighted the significance of combining individual efforts, particularly among youth, to encourage nuclear-armed states to change their policies.
In his speech, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stressed the need to "persevere with realistic initiatives" toward nuclear disarmament amid a severe security environment and widening differences between nations' positions on the issue.
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