Japan's Takaichi declines to reaffirm three nonnuclear principles

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday stopped short of explicitly reaffirming Tokyo's three nonnuclear principles while attending the 81st anniversary memorial of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima, though she stated that her government continues to uphold the longstanding policy, according to Kyodo News Agency.

Speaking after the annual ceremony, Takaichi said the government was maintaining the principles of not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on Japanese territory. She pledged to pursue "realistic and practical" efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, according to the Japanese news agency.

Hiroshima mayor warns against nuclear 'tools of intimidation'

Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui urged world leaders to abolish nuclear weapons during the ceremony, warning that they continue to be used as "tools of intimidation" in international conflicts. He cautioned that accepting the use of force risks repeating the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Matsui called for renewed multilateral efforts on nuclear disarmament to prevent future atomic catastrophes.

Ceremony marks 81 years since atomic attack

A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 am local time, marking the exact time the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. The attack killed an estimated 140,000 people by the end of that year. The annual commemoration takes place as Tokyo faces increasing pressure to clarify its stance on nuclear weapons amid regional security tensions.