Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows in front of the Memorial Cenotaph after delivering a speech during the 75th anniversary memorial service for atomic bomb victims at the Peace Park in Hiroshima on Aug. 6. (Photo: AFP)
As the world struggles to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, Hiroshima today held a scaled-back memorial service on the 75th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing.
The Peace Park in Hiroshima bore a deserted look this year as political leaders including Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui joined bomb survivors at the annual event.
"On August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb destroyed our city. Rumor at the time had it that 'nothing will grow here for 75 years,'" Matsui said. "And yet Hiroshima recovered, becoming a symbol of peace."
In a video message, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres called on all nations to renew steps to abolish nuclear weapons as "the only way to totally eliminate nuclear risk."
Click here to read the full article