Atomic Bomb Survivors in Japan Slam Trump’s Nuclear Comments

Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings have expressed strong anger over U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about nuclear weapons. Calling his comments “unacceptable,” they demanded an apology and urged global leaders to reject any justification for the use of atomic bombs.

Mimaki Toshiyuki, co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group Nihon Hidankyo, said he was deeply disappointed by Trump’s statement. Another survivor, Teruko Yokoyama, expressed her frustration, saying she felt “nothing but anger.”

On Thursday, a group of survivors held a protest in Hiroshima, while the Hiroshima city assembly passed a resolution strongly opposing any comments that justify nuclear attacks. They also called for all armed conflicts to be resolved peacefully.

The backlash follows Trump’s claim that recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran had “obliterated” its nuclear program and set it back by decades, a statement made while dismissing a leaked intelligence report. CIA Director John Ratcliffe supported Trump’s claim.

When asked if Japan would issue a formal complaint, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said Japan has consistently conveyed its anti-nuclear position to the U.S.

Japan, the only country ever attacked with nuclear weapons, maintains a strong anti-nuclear stance. In Hiroshima, a peace flame has been burning since the 1960s, and world leaders who visit are invited to fold paper cranes as a symbol of their commitment to peace.