Hiroshima marks 81 years since the atomic bombing with renewed calls for nuclear abolition. Using the city’s Peace Declaration, Matsui urged national leaders to shift away from reliance on nuclear deterrence and called on nuclear-armed countries to confront the human toll of atomic warfare. He also urged political authorities to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki and listen to the hibakusha, survivors whose testimonies remain central to Hiroshima’s annual remembrance. For decades, the city has used the August 6 observance to advocate for nuclear abolition and to preserve the history of the bombing. Approximately 50,000 individuals attended this year’s event, which included representatives from 121 nations and regions, as well as the European Union. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi participated for the first time since assuming leadership, emphasizing Japan’s commitment to a pragmatic approach towards a future without nuclear weapons. She highlighted the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a key framework for this effort and also referenced Japan’s long-standing three non-nuclear principles. Challenges Continue in Nuclear Arms Diplomacy The observance occurred less than three months after the conclusion of the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which ended without reaching a meaningful consensus document. It marked the third consecutive NPT review to conclude without an agreement. Hiroshima underscored this outcome as a call for intensified disarmament initiatives. Japan remains supportive of the NPT system but has not signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of