National News

A woman holds her hands in prayer in front of a memorial for the atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima's Naka-ku on Wednesday.

HIROSHIMA -- Thousands marked the 63rd anniversary of the Aug. 6, 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima at a ceremony in the city on Wednesday, joined by a record number of foreign ambassadors.

In Japan, the government has been questioned over its stance on recognizing atomic bomb-related diseases, and atomic-bomb survivors, or hibakusha, that have suffered mentally from their experiences of the bombing and physical aftereffects that can appear after many years. They have also been hurt by a lack of understanding and interest from the people around them.

During the commemoration on Wednesday, Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba read out a peace declaration asserting a renewal of determination that no one else should suffer the same hardships as those undergone by hibakusha.

Ambassadors from 55 countries -- a record number -- took part in the memorial ceremony that started at the peace memorial park in Hiroshima's Naka-ku at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. China, a country that possesses nuclear weapons, made an appearance at the ceremony for the first time.

Altogether, about 45,000 people took part in the ceremony. Akiba and two representatives of the bereaved families of atomic-bomb victims enshrined two books containing the names of 5,302 hibakusha whose deaths were confirmed over the past year. With the addition, there are now 93 books containing the names of 258,310 people who died.

The average age of hibakusha in Japan passed 75 for the first time this year. The peace declaration stated that the effects of the atomic bombing that still affect hibakusha physically and mentally has been underestimated for many years. The declaration stated that the Hiroshima Municipal Government has promised to conduct a two-year scientific investigation into the psychological effects of the atomic bomb experience.

In addition, the declaration mentioned that 190 states have ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and pointed out that the countries opposing nuclear weapons formed a majority.

During the commemoration ceremony, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue and other officials offered flowers. At 8:15 a.m., the same minute the bomb struck, participants observed a minute of silence.

Also at the ceremony, children read out a declaration of peace, promising to learn about what happened in Hiroshima, to think about the events and inform others about them."