"Nagasaki Mayor Calls for Global Nuclear Disarmament on 78th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing"

Nagasaki commemorated the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing with the mayor urging world powers to abolish nuclear weapons, stating that nuclear deterrence increases the risk of nuclear war. The mayor expressed concern about the tragedy being forgotten and survivors' frustration with the slow progress of disarmament. The combination of social media posts about the "Barbenheimer" summer blitz and movies about J. Robert Oppenheimer sparked outrage in Japan for minimizing the toll of the bombings. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who did not attend the memorial, acknowledged the challenges in achieving a nuclear-free world due to rising tensions and conflicts. The mayor demanded the government sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and attend the upcoming meeting to demonstrate Japan's resolve to abolish nuclear weapons.