World Marks 80th Hiroshima Anniversary as Nuclear Threat Reaches Critical Levels
World Marks 80th Hiroshima Anniversary as Nuclear Threat Reaches Critical Levels
As the world observes the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima today, August 6, 2025, experts and survivors are issuing urgent warnings that the planet faces its highest risk of nuclear weapon use in decades. Dignitaries and a dwindling number of survivors gathered at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Wednesday morning to commemorate the devastating attack on August 6, 1945, which, along with the subsequent bombing of Nagasaki, remains the only instance of nuclear weapons being used in warfare.
Despite the passage of eight decades, the threat posed by these weapons is alarmingly contemporary. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on Wednesday, “The divisions within the international community over nuclear disarmament are deepening, and the current security environment is growing increasingly severe.” Nihon Hidankyo, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization of survivors, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing, “We don’t have much time left, while we face greater nuclear threat than ever.”
Recent global events underscore these escalating tensions, from nuclear saber-rattling between Russia and the United States over Ukraine, to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and a brief conflict between nuclear powers India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Hans Kristensen of SIPRI noted a clear trend of “growing nuclear arsenals, sharpened nuclear rhetoric and the abandonment of arms control agreements.”
The dire situation is reflected in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ “Doomsday Clock,” which earlier this year moved to 89 seconds to midnight – perilously close to global catastrophe. While the clock considers other threats like climate change and AI, the nuclear threat was highlighted as central to its January report. The report warns that nuclear-armed nations are investing hundreds of billions in weapons that can destroy civilization, increasing both the size and role of their arsenals.
Today’s nuclear weapons are vastly more powerful than the 15-kiloton Hiroshima bomb; the largest in the US arsenal is 80 times greater. With over 12,000 nuclear weapons held by nine powers globally – including the US, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel – the risk is immense. SIPRI’s latest report indicates that nearly all these nations continued intensive modernization programs in 2024, with China notably adding around 100 warheads annually. North Korea, through Kim Yo Jong, has explicitly stated its refusal to abandon its nuclear status, further exacerbating global security concerns.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.