Hiroshima Renews Plea for Nuclear Arms Elimination

Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba on Wednesday renewed his call for the elimination of nuclear weapons at a ceremony to mark the 63rd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of this western Japan city.

A new study on the effects of the bomb on hibakusha, or victims, "should teach us the grave import of the truth, born of tragedy and suffering, that 'the only role for nuclear weapons is to be abolished,'" Akiba said in the city's peace declaration.

"We who seek the abolition of nuclear weapons are the majority,"
Akiba said, citing the endorsement of the Mayors for Peace campaign by
cities and other local governments representing a majority of the world's
total population.
The local entities in April proposed a road map to a nuclear
weapons-free world. "Now, with our destination and the map to that
destination clear, all we need is the strong will and capacity to act to
guard the future for our children," Akiba said.
He called on the Japanese government to "fiercely defend" the
war-renouncing constitution, "play a leading role" in the effort to abolish
nuclear weapons and demonstrate "greater generosity" in relief measures for
the victims of the atomic bombing.
Japan is the only country to have been attacked with atomic bombs.
Toward the end of World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on
Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and another on Nagasaki three days later.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and some 45,000 people attended the
memorial ceremony, held at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park near the atomic
bomb's blast center.
They offered one minute's silent prayer for the victims of the
bombing at 8:15 a.m., the time when the bomb exploded over the city. The
death toll from the attack came to 258,310, increasing 5,302 during the past
year.
Akiba's speech was followed by an oath of peace, made by Hiroshima
children's representatives Honoka Imai, 11, and Sota Hondo, 12.
The girl and the boy said they will study, understand and think
about what happened, and teach many other people what they have learned.
Fukuda said Japan will firmly maintain its three nonnuclear
principles of not possessing or producing nuclear weapons and not allowing
the entry of nuclear weapons into the country.
Japan will also spearhead the efforts of the international
community toward the goal of abolishing nuclear weapons and achieving
permanent peace, the prime minister said.
The government will further strive to help as many victims of the
atomic bombing as possible, Fukuda added, referring to the recent decisions
to ease criteria for approving government support for victims and provide
compensation to victims who now live abroad.