Nagasaki marks 81st atomic bomb anniversary as mayor says nuclear deterrence only increases risk

Nagasaki marks 81st atomic bomb anniversary as mayor says nuclear deterrence only increases risk 0 seconds of 51 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 00:00 00:51 00:51 1 of 6 | Nagasaki on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the southern Japanese city, with its mayor denouncing growing support for nuclear deterrence in the global community, including Japan and demanding his own government do more for nuclear disarmament. The atomic bomb dropped by the United States on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, killed 70,000 people, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima killed 140,000. 2 of 6 | People observe a minute of silence during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (Taichi Nagahisa/Kyodo News via AP) 3 of 6 | People observe a minute of silence during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (Taichi Nagahisa/Kyodo News via AP) 4 of 6 | Doves are leased over the Peace Statue during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (Taichi Nagahisa/Kyodo News via AP) 5 of 6 | People observe a minute of silence during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing at the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (Kotaro Ueda/Kyodo News via AP) 6 of 6 | Japna’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers a speech during a ceremony to mark the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026. (Taichi Nagahisa/Kyodo News via AP) By MARI YAMAGUCHI Updated 9:34 AM MESZ, August 9, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit TOKYO (AP) — Nagasaki marked on Sunday the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern city, as the mayor called nuclear weapons “absolute evil,” denounced growing support for nuclear deterrence and called on the Japanese government to adhere to its three postwar non-nuclear principles. The anniversary coincided with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ’s government revising the country’s defense policy to further bolster the military’s offensive capability. Speculation has risen about whether Takaichi, who supports nuclear dissuasion, may allow nuclear weapons to be brought into the country, going against the third non-nuclear principle. Mayor Shiro Suzuki said that while some countries argue the possession of nuclear weapons helps deter potential attackers, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had demonstrated that humans can cross the line. “The theory of nuclear deterrence is extremely dangerous and fragile. Nuclear weapons are not a ‘necessary evil’ but an ‘absolute evil,’ and can never coexist with humanity,” Suzuki said. “To all leaders of the nuclear states and nations relying on nuclear deterrence, you must face the reality that the more you rely on nuclear deterrence, the more you increase the risk of a nuclear war.” The United States launched the Nagasaki attack on Aug. 9, 1945, killing 70,000 by the end of that year, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima that killed 140,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945, ending World War II and the nearly half-century of aggression across Asia. Hiroshima marks 81st atomic bomb anniversary as mayor deplores the pursuit of nuclear weapons 3 MIN READ The atomic bomb, a world-changing invention, inflicted suffering and launched the nuclear age 1 MIN READ Japan says combat drones key to adapting to new warfare as regional tensions rise 1 MIN READ Representatives from more than 90 countries attended the ceremony at the Peace Park on Sunday and observed a moment of silence at 11:02 a.m. when a B-29 dropped a plutonium bomb, known as “Fat Man.” Suzuki singled out the Japanese government, demanding it uphold Japan’s war-renouncing Constitution, attend the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons review conference later this year and stick to the three non-nuclear principles. Takaichi supports the first two principles of not possessing and developing nuclear weapons. The prime minister, who attended Sunday’s ceremony, reiterated her policy of taking “a realistic and pragmatic approach” toward achieving a world without nuclear weapons. As she did in Hiroshima, Takaichi remained ambiguous about the three non-nuclear principles and only reiterated that Japan currently maintains the policy. Takaichi, in her speech at the ceremony, did not mention the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which Tokyo has refused to sign because Japan is under the protection of the U.S. nuclear umbrella. She later told reporters that Japan’s policy is to work within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and that her government will decide what to do with the treaty based on what’s most effective to ensure the country’s national security and push forward nuclear disarmament. Survivors have expressed frustration and criticized the Japanese government’s support for nuclear deterrence for being insincere. Growing concern about Takaichi’s possible easing of the non-nuclear principles has prompted protests by the survivors, or hibakusha, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The number of survivors has fallen to 91,105, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to clearly recall the attack. MARI YAMAGUCHI Yamaguchi is based in Tokyo and covers Japanese politics, security, nuclear energy and social issues for The Associated Press. twitter mailto