In a recent statement, President Trump drew parallels between US air strikes against Iran and the devastating atomic bombings of Japan in World War II, prompting severe backlash from Japanese officials and atomic bomb survivors. They emphasize the gravity of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and call for peaceful resolutions to conflicts.
International Backlash Follows Trump's Controversial Comparison of Iran Strikes to Atomic Bombings
International Backlash Follows Trump's Controversial Comparison of Iran Strikes to Atomic Bombings
Japan's leaders and atomic bomb survivors express outrage over Trump's remarks linking US actions in Iran to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Japan condemned US President Donald Trump's recent comments that analogized recent US military strikes on Iran to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump stated, "That hit ended the war," while he hinted at a comparison to the bombings. Approximately 140,000 lives were lost when the US dropped atomic bombs on these cities in August 1945, leaving a legacy of trauma and health implications for the survivors.
The Mayor of Nagasaki, Shiro Suzuki, expressed dismay, stating that Trump's remarks could be interpreted as a justification for the atomic bombings. Similarly, Mimaki Toshiyuki, an atomic bomb survivor and co-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Nihon Hidankyo, labeled Trump's remarks as "unacceptable," outlining the emotional impact they carry. Another member from the advocacy group, Teruko Yokoyama, voiced her disappointment and anger during a report from Kyodo News.
The outrage culminated in protests in Hiroshima, where survivors demanded that Trump retract his statement. In a concurrent development, local lawmakers passed a resolution condemning any justifications for the use of atomic weapons while advocating for peaceful conflict resolution.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa indicated that Japan has consistently conveyed its stance on nuclear warfare to the United States but did not confirm whether Tokyo would formally complain about Trump's comments. The remarks surfaced amid Trump's rebuttal to a leaked intelligence report that downplayed the impact of US strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, which he countered by claiming the strikes had set back the program "decades."
As the only nation to have experienced nuclear warfare, Japan maintains a peaceful stance against atomic weapons, symbolized by a lasting peace flame in Hiroshima and other memorials that honor the victims of World War II.
