Survivors of the atomic bombing, called hibakusha, and residents prayed for the dead at Nagasaki Peace Park on August 9, marking the 79^th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japanese city.

The ambassadors to Japan from the European Union and the six G7 countries excluding Japan sent their deputies to the ceremony, saying the city of Nagasaki’s decision to treat Israel on par with countries like Russia and Belarus by not inviting it to the event was regrettable and could lead to misunderstanding.

During the ceremony, the names of 3,200 people who were confirmed to have died in the past year were enshrined, bringing the total number of Nagasaki atomic bomb victims to 198,785.

SOT: (Bell ringing at 11:02 a.m.)

(Moment of silence)

In his peace declaration, Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki Shiro said that the buildup of nuclear arsenals is accelerating, heightening the threat, and urged all nuclear-armed nations and countries under the nuclear umbrella to significantly steer toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.