Hiroshima mayor marks atomic bombs with call for ban on nuclear weapons
The country commemorates the 76th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on the city. Kazumi Matsui: Young people encourage nuclear states to change their policies. Premier Suga talks about 'realistic' solutions. Prayers of Catholic faithful. Nuclear weapons worldwide number more than 13,000.
Hiroshima (AsiaNews) - Today Japan commemorates the 76th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The mayor of the city, Kazumi Matsui, has again asked the world powers to abandon nuclear deterrence and build a dialogue based on mutual trust and renewed his appeal to the Japanese government to adhere to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which came into force on January 22. In honoring the Hibakusha (survivors of the bombing), Matsui then called on young people to encourage nuclear states to change their policies.
Hiroshima was the target of the first nuclear attack in history, which occurred at the hands of U.S. bomber Enola Gay at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945. Three days later, Washington's air force dropped a second device on Nagasaki. The double raid prompted Emperor Hiro Hito to declare surrender, which led to the end of World War II.
After the nuclear bomb was dropped, at least 140,000 people died instantly. Thousands later lost their lives as a result of burns and radiation. The victims of the explosion in Nagasaki were instead 74 thousand. Of the 12 thousand Catholics living in the city, 8,500 died from the bombing.
Before the outbreak of the pandemic, up to 50 thousand people attended the ceremony. Due to health regulations for Covid-19, only 800 people were present today. Among them were representatives of 83 countries, including those from the European Union.
The response of the Japanese government to the requests of Mayor Matsui remains lukewarm. At the commemoration, Premier Yoshihide Suga stressed the need to "persevere with realistic initiatives" for nuclear disarmament. All this taking into account the difficult international security framework and the widening differences in views among nations on atomic proliferation.
The Catholic Church of Japan urged faithful to commemorate the anniversary through the annual 10 days of prayer for peace. For the occasion, the Archbishop of Nagasaki, Msgr. Mitsuaki Takami, president of the Episcopal Conference of Japan, reiterated the request to the Japanese government to ratify the Treaty for the banning of nuclear weapons.
The reality is nations with nuclear arsenals have refused to adhere to the treaty rendering the UN document useless. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in the last 12 months the total number of nuclear weapons has dropped from 13,400 to 13,080. The drop in the number of nuclear devices is due to reductions made by the United States and Russia under the New Start treaty, renewed for five years in February.
However, China has 350 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, 30 more than last year. Great Britain (+10 devices), India (+6), Pakistan (+5) and North Korea have also increased their atomic deposits. Pyongyang's arsenal is estimated at between 40 and 50 warheads, compared to 30-40 in 2020.
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09/08/2006
