Peace Memorial Ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

77 years ago, on the 6^th and the 9^th of August, the world’s first and second atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is estimated that approximately 140,000 immediately were killed in the blast of the bomb in Hiroshima and approximately 74,000 people in Nagasaki. The nuclear radiation caused more deaths in the following weeks, months and years that followed.

Ambassador Peter Taksøe-Jensen attended both of the annual Peace Ceremonies in each city and visited the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims and the hypocentre of the bomb in Nagasaki Park to leave flowers the day before the Peace Ceremony was held. On this day, the ambassador was interviewed by the national Japanese broadcaster NHK and stated that: “Unfortunately, both Japan and Denmark are relying on the nuclear umbrella. However, we must continue to work on pressuring all countries to disarm”.

More than 100 officials attended the peace memorial ceremony in Hiroshima, including the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He stated in his speech that: “Humanity is playing with a loaded gun“ and warned of the risk posed by ongoing crisis in different parts of the world. In Nagasaki, 83 countries attended the ceremony, which was the highest number ever. Tomihisa Taue, Mayor of Nagasaki, provided a strong message to the attending countries and to the rest of the world; that Nagasaki will continue to do the utmost to realise the abolition of nuclear weapons and everlasting world peace.