US role in Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings omitted at commemorations

Saturday 09 August 2025 - 11:50

By: Dakir Madiha

US role in Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings omitted at commemorations

The United States’ role in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II remained unmentioned at this year’s commemoration events, continuing a decades-long tradition of avoiding direct acknowledgment.

Focus on remembrance and disarmament

During the memorial in Nagasaki on Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru emphasized the need to preserve the memory of the bombings while advocating for peace. “We must pass down as memories what unfolded here in Japan 80 years ago—the reality and the tragedy of war, and the brutal impact of the harm wrought by the atomic bombings,” Ishiba stated, without naming the US as the perpetrator.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through remarks delivered by disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu, urged global action on nuclear disarmament, with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of such efforts. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki also called on world leaders to outline concrete measures toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Silence on US responsibility

The omission of the US role persisted earlier this week during Hiroshima’s commemoration. The bombings, carried out in the final days of World War II, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 200,000 civilians. While US officials have historically defended the attacks as necessary to avoid a costly invasion, a 1946 US Strategic Bombing Survey concluded that Japan likely would have surrendered even without the use of atomic bombs.

Broader nuclear tensions

The commemorations come amid heightened global nuclear tensions. Last month, the US conducted airstrikes on Iranian sites linked to Tehran’s nuclear program, claiming they were part of efforts to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons—a charge Tehran denies. Under the NPT, Iran and other signatories are entitled to pursue nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Critics, including Russia and China, have accused the US of undermining global non-proliferation efforts through unilateral actions like these strikes.

As calls for disarmament echo through ceremonies in Japan, the lack of direct acknowledgment of the US role in the bombings continues to provoke reflection on history and its implications for present-day nuclear policy.