NAGASAKI -- Atomic bomb survivors and bereaved families of victims offered prayers for peace on Tuesday during the 77th ceremony marking the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
In the ceremony held at 10:40 a.m. in Nagasaki Peace Park, Mayor Tomihisa Taue said in the Nagasaki Peace Declaration, "We must recognize that ridding ourselves of nuclear weapons is the only realistic way of protecting the Earth and humankind's future at this very moment."
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and representatives from a record 83 countries, including nuclear powers China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The peace bell of Nagasaki rang at 11:02 a.m., the time the bomb exploded over the city on Aug. 9, 1945, and a moment of silence was observed.
In Taue's peace declaration, he cited the words of the late Chieko Watanabe. She had survived the bombing while working at a factory as part of student mobilization efforts, but was paralyzed from the waist down. Watanabe told the world to "ensure that nobody like me is ever made again."
Taue talked about Russia invading Ukraine, saying: "Threats of using nuclear weapons have been made, sending shivers throughout the globe. This has shown the world that the use of nuclear weapons is not a 'groundless fear' but a 'tangible and present crisis.'"
Because of the invasion, the city did not invite the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus, which has been supporting Moscow's actions. The Ukrainian ambassador was absent because of covid-19.
Takashi Miyata, 82, who took a pledge for peace on behalf of A-bomb survivors, said: "For 77 years, atomic bomb survivors have lived through anger, suffering and sorrow. We believe in a bright and hopeful future without nuclear weapons, and will live our life to the fullest."
At the ceremony, three volumes containing the names of 3,160 A-bomb victims confirmed dead in the 12 months through July 31 were added to a register. There are now 197 volumes and the total number of deaths of people related to the atomic bombing of Nagasaki rose to 192,310.