Overview
- At Nagasaki's 81st memorial on Sunday, Mayor Shiro Suzuki called nuclear weapons an "absolute evil," warned that reliance on deterrence raises the risk of nuclear war, and urged the government to uphold the constitution, the Three Non‑Nuclear Principles, and attendance at the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons review in November.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the ceremonies and said Japan "is upholding" the three non‑nuclear principles, a phrasing critics say stops short of a clear commitment and has intensified public concern about possible policy change.
- Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and other senior officials have recently opened debate on nuclear options as part of a broader defence‑policy review, which has driven the current national discussion over whether to revisit the 1967 principles.
- Survivor groups led by Nihon Hidankyo renewed their anti‑nuclear pledge at anniversary events, pressed Tokyo to engage with the U.N. ban treaty, and warned that passing testimony is urgent as the number of hibakusha has fallen to about 91,000 and their average age exceeds the mid‑80s.
- United Nations representatives and city leaders highlighted global risks—pointing to more than 12,000 warheads and repeated failures at NPT review conferences—and analysts say decisions this year, especially on attending the November TPNW review, will shape Japan's diplomatic position and domestic politics.