Overview

• Representatives from 120 countries and the European Union attended the commemoration while major nuclear-armed states Russia, China and Pakistan stayed away.
• Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Japan must lead global efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons as the only nation to have suffered atomic attacks.
• Mayor Kazumi Matsui noted that 90% of the world’s nuclear warheads are held by the United States and Russia and warned that ongoing conflicts are driving accelerated arms buildups.
• Japan’s decision to notify all countries rather than select invitees resulted in first-time attendance by Palestinian and Taiwanese representatives.
• Nagasaki is preparing for a record number of delegations on August 9, including Russia’s return since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.