The sea of people who attended the ceremony this year also included U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and representatives from more than 100 countries, including Britain, France and Russian Federation. The death toll from the blast on August 6,1945 by the end of the year was estimated at about 140,000, out of the 350,000 who lived there at the time.
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About 90 percent of the city was destroyed, which is why it looks so new today. The bombing was followed up by a strike three days later on another southern city, Nagasaki.
The city of Hiroshima is now fully dedicated to advocating for peace and to the end of nuclear weapons worldwide.
“The longer discussion went on, the clearer it became that they were just trampling on the constitution and its renunciation of war and military strength”, Nihon Hidankyo said in a statement. On that day in 1945, the US Air Force dropped atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima.
Matsui called on world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons, a cause he spends much of his time pursuing.
On the 70th anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima, by nuclear bombs, members of the peace group read survivors’ accounts of the devastation and shared poems and prose which reiterated their commitment to campaigning for peace and disarmament.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called nuclear weapons “the absolute evil and ultimate inhumanity”.
Mr Tickner says 113 countries around the world have committed themselves to working towards some kind of convention or treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons.
China, which often emphasises its own victimisation at the hands of foreign powers, is itself gearing up to commemorate Japan’s World War II defeat, planning a massive military parade through central Beijing.
“My grandfather died here at that time and I keep wondering what he felt then”, said Tomiyo Sota.
As World War II was entering its sixth year, Nazi German had surrendered in May but the Japanese refused to accept the terms of surrender.
Abe told reporters in Hiroshima after the service that the statement will include reflection on the war, as well as how Japan will contribute to world peace in the future.
According to Daniel, his grandfather said he ordered the atomic bombings with the belief that it would save thousands of lives.
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The aim is to mobilise people in all countries to inspire, persuade and pressure their governments to initiate and support negotiations for a treaty banning nuclear weapons.
