(MENAFN) On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japanese officials reiterated their commitment to a world without nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a commemorative event on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasized Japan’s dedication to global disarmament. As noted in reports, he also reflected on the country's unique role in history as the only nation to have experienced nuclear bombings during wartime.

"When I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, I renewed my resolve that these unbearable ordeals and memories should not be allowed to fade away and must be handed down through future generations," he told attendees gathered at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima City.

"Eighty years have passed since the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, turning this city into a scorched wasteland in an instant, and I respectfully offered my sincere condolences to the spirits of those who lost their lives," he later wrote on X.

The ceremony began at 8:15 a.m. local time (2315 GMT Tuesday), marking the precise moment the U.S. detonated the atomic bomb over the city on August 6, 1945. The blast obliterated Hiroshima and led to the deaths of an estimated 140,000 people by the end of that year. In the years that followed, countless others suffered from long-term health effects caused by radiation.

Approximately 55,000 people took part in this year’s memorial event. During the ceremony, Hiroshima Mayor Matsui Kazumi placed an updated registry of victims in the park’s cenotaph. The list now includes 349,246 names.

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