Japan Marks Atomic Bomb Anniversary

Japan Marks Atomic Bomb Anniversary

Representatives from 74 nations gathered to mark the anniversary of the moment atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima . The events marked the 65th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack.

For the first time, a representative of the United States , which dropped the bomb on the city, was in attendance.

About 140,000 people were killed or died within months of the bomb being dropped by a US aircraft in 1945, in the final days of World War II.

Japan surrendered after a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later on 9 August.

Silence ushered the moment

A minute's silence was held at 0815 - the exact time the bomb fell.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who was also attending the ceremony for the first time, presented flowers at the Eternal Flame in Hiroshima 's Peace Memorial Park .

''Life is short, but memory is long, for many of you, that day endures... as vivid as the white light that seared the sky, as dark as the black rains that followed,'' he said

He told the gathered crowd of 55,000 people from 74 nations that the time had come to move from ‘Ground Zero, to Global Zero' - a world without any nuclear weapons.

Japan , the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons, has been pushing for their abolition.

Top objective for denuclearisation

Hiroshima 's mayor welcomed Washington 's decision to send US Ambassador John Roos, saying he hoped the event would boost global denuclearisation.

Mr. Roos said the memorial was a chance to show resolve towards nuclear disarmament, which US President Barack Obama has said is a top objective.

Some Japanese have called on the US to apologise for the atomic bombings.

BBC/Yinka