Nagasaki mayor laments that nuclear arms are seen as useful

TOKYO – Nagasaki marked the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing over the city, as the mayor criticized nuclear states including the U.S. and Russia for challenging the survivors’ efforts toward a nuclear-free world.

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue lamented in his peace declaration Friday the opinion that nuclear weapons are useful is gaining traction. He said both the U.S. and Russia are returning to development and deployment of nuclear weapons, as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was dissolved.

Taue urged world leaders to visit the atomic-bombed cities and learn firsthand the inhumanity of nuclear weapons.

Survivors and other participants marked the 11:02 a.m. blast with a minute of silence.

The U.S. bombing of Nagasaki killed 70,000 people and was followed by Japan’s surrender ending WWII.