Nagasaki Mayor Warns of Growing Nuclear War Risk on 80th Anniversary

On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Mayor Shiro Suzuki warned that escalating global conflicts could lead the world again into nuclear war, calling it an imminent existential crisis for humanity. During the memorial ceremony, attended by representatives from around 90 to 95 countries including nuclear powers like the US, Suzuki urged world leaders to commit to abolishing nuclear weapons and called for concrete action ahead of the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. He emphasized the need to break the cycle of confrontation and fragmentation while promoting global solidarity and understanding. Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed the country's commitment to its three non-nuclear principles and pledged to lead efforts toward a world free of nuclear weapons. The ceremony reflected on the devastating impact of the 1945 US atomic bombing of Nagasaki, which killed tens of thousands instantly and caused many more deaths due to radiation exposure. The event underscored the urgency of nuclear disarmament to ensure Nagasaki remains the last city to suffer such an attack.