Japanese PM leads ceremony to mark 68th anniversary of atomic bombing

Japan marked the 68th anniversary on Tuesday of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima with a sombre ceremony to honor the dead.

Some 50-thousand people stood for a minute's silence in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park near the epicenter of the early-morning blast on 6 August 1945 that killed up to 140-thousand people.

The bombing of Nagasaki three days later killed tens of thousands more, prompting Japan's surrender to the World War II Allies.

Among those gathered at the peace park were some of the surviving victims of the atomic bombings.

There are more than 200-thousand "hibakusha", who have an average age of almost 79.

In a "peace declaration" speech, Hiroshima's mayor, Kazumi Matsui, described the pain of those who survived, only to be shunned as contaminated by the radiation.

Matsui was critical towards the Japanese government of a recent agreement on discussing nuclear energy co-operation with India that would likely hinder efforts to abolish nuclear weapons.

"The Japanese government's ongoing negotiations with India on a nuclear technology agreement would probably help build a good economic relationship but would likely hinder efforts to abolish nuclear weapons," Matsui said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to work towards the eradication of nuclear weapons.

"I swear that I will spare no effort to make lasting peace a reality," he said.

The 68th anniversary comes as Japan remains torn over restarting nuclear power plants shut down since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged reactors at a the Fukushima plant causing meltdowns.

More than 100-thousand people remain displaced because of radioactivity near the plant.

Abe favours restarting plants under new safety guidelines, while many Japanese oppose it.


AP