Hiroshima: Minute of Silence for Atomic Bomb Victims – Plea for Peace

A minute of silence was observed in Hiroshima, 80 years after the atomic bombing, at a memorial ceremony with international participation.

On August 6, 1945, at 08:15, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing approximately 140,000 people. Three days later, a second bomb hit Nagasaki.

Mayor Kazumi Matsui appealed for a world without nuclear weapons, emphasizing that the U.S. and Russia possess 90% of the world's nuclear warheads. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated Japan's commitment to peace.

Representatives from 120 countries and regions attended the event. A memorial ceremony is also expected in Nagasaki.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that Hiroshima rebuilt hope and a vision of a world without nuclear weapons.

Nihon Hidankyo, a survivors' group, called on states to eliminate nuclear weapons.