Nagasaki marks 77th anniversary amid fears for nuclear disarmament and echoes of Ukraine war
City officials in Nagasaki, located in southern Japan, observed the 77th anniversary of the devastating atomic attack with a somber ceremony held against the ongoing global anxiety about war in Ukraine and renewed concerns over nuclear disarmament momentum.
During the observance, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reflected on the slow progress of the denuclearization effort and emphasized that the tragedy suffered by Nagasaki in 1945 should never be repeated. He pledged that Japan would pursue a world without nuclear weapons, even in the face of difficult security challenges. He spoke with resolve about advancing disarmament and ensuring that atomic weapons are never used again, at the ceremony in Nagasaki.
The ceremony took place in front of the Peace Monument, near the center of the blast’s historical epicenter. It began with hymns and the laying of flowers and water in memory of the martyrs. Survivors, many of whom bore internal and external burns from the explosion and endured severe thirst, recalled the pleas for water from their fellow survivors in their darkest hours.
77th anniversary of the nuclear attack on Nagasaki. (EFE)
A minute of silence was observed at 11:02, the exact moment the bomb exploded. Hibakusha, the atomic bomb survivors, who are now at least 77 years old or older, gathered to remember the suffering caused by the war and its lasting radiation effects.
Kishida also highlighted the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was established in 1970 amid the Cold War era. The treaty restricts the possession of nuclear weapons to the five recognized powers—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China—and urges all other states to remain non-nuclear. He called for strengthening the treaty during its review conference and reaffirmed the commitment that nuclear weapons should not be used and that Nagasaki must be the last city to suffer such a bombing, even in a difficult security environment. The goal is to reinforce nonproliferation norms while supporting victims and environmental remedies associated with nuclear use.
Ukraine concern
Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue also addressed the gathering, linking Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to renewed concerns about the risk of nuclear escalation. He warned that the war demonstrates how the presence of nuclear weapons continues to threaten humanity, and urged citizens to face this reality with clarity and urgency. Taue pressed the government to consider ratifying the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, which took effect in 2021 and would obligate Japan to renounce nuclear protection provided by its allies. The treaty, in parallel with the core provisions of the NPT, aims to prohibit development, production, possession, use, or threats of use of nuclear weapons and to strengthen support for victims and environmental recovery.
The discussion underscored the need for stronger disarmament norms, signaling a clear demand for a world where nuclear dangers are minimized and where victims receive sustained aid and accountability for environmental harm caused by nuclear weapons.
“The indiscriminate attack in Ukraine reminds us of what Nagasaki endured and the suffering endured by many,” Kishida stated, acknowledging that such violence raises fears of a renewed catastrophe. He added that this moment strengthens his determination to prevent any recurrence and to keep the memory of Nagasaki as a constant reminder of the human cost of war.
Many hibakusha view the events in Ukraine through the lens of their own experiences with fear of nuclear escalation and solidarity with displaced Ukrainians who face hardship and upheaval caused by war. The resonance of Nagasaki’s history continues to shape contemporary debates about security, weapons policy, and humanitarian protection.
On August 9, the Fat Man bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, detonating at 11:02 a.m. at an altitude of about 470 meters with a yield of roughly 21 kilotons of TNT. The blast obliterated more than 40 percent of the city, which had long stood as a major port in southern Japan, contributing to its commercial and military significance. Estimates place the death toll in the tens of thousands at the moment of impact, with total fatalities rising in the following months. The broader tragedy took a toll on the wider region, as Hiroshima and Nagasaki together remain among the most somber chapters in World War II history.
Researchers estimate that tens of thousands died instantly or shortly after the attack, with casualties across the years increasing as radiation-related illnesses emerged. The combined toll in Nagasaki and Hiroshima remains a stark reminder of the human cost of nuclear warfare.
77th anniversary of the nuclear attack on Nagasaki. (EFE)