Hiroshima Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN – On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb, called “Little Boy,” killed about 78,000 people right away. By the end of that year, tens of thousands more had died from burns and radiation.
The bombing happened during World War II. Hiroshima was a key military city at the time. The U.S. chose it because the mountains around the city would make the blast stronger.
Three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan surrendered on August 15, ending the war.
This week, Hiroshima held its annual peace ceremony. Representatives from 120 countries and regions, including the U.S. and Israel, attended the event at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
At exactly 8:15 a.m. — the time of the bombing — a moment of silence was observed. Then, Mayor Kazumi Matsui gave a speech. He warned that more countries are building up their military forces and nuclear weapons.
He said, “World leaders are starting to believe that having nuclear weapons is necessary for protection.” He also reminded everyone that the U.S. and Russia still hold 90% of the world’s nuclear bombs.
The mayor urged leaders to come to Hiroshima and see the damage with their own eyes.
A tourist, 71-year-old Yoshikazu Horie, also spoke about his fears. “History feels like it’s repeating,” he said. “There are wars in Europe and rising tensions in Asia. I have grandchildren, and I want peace for their future.”
Many survivors of the bombing, called hibakusha, faced discrimination in the past. People wrongly believed they had diseases or that their children might be affected. Today, fewer than 100,000 hibakusha are still alive.
Japan has promised to work for a world without nuclear weapons. But it has not signed the United Nations treaty that bans them.
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