• Hiroshima marked the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the western Japanese city on August 6.

• The western Japanese city of Hiroshima was levelled on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped a uranium bomb nicknamed “Little Boy”.

• Hiroshima was the headquarters of some military units and a major supply base during World War II. 

• It was followed by a plutonium bomb on Nagasaki three days later on August 9. 

• It marked the only time that nuclear weapons have been used in warfare.

• Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending its role in World War II.

• The two cities were annihilated. More than 200,000 people died of nuclear radiation, shock waves from the explosions, and thermal radiation. Hundreds of thousands more have died over the years.

• Others survived but with radiation illness. About 100,000 survivors are still alive. 

• The survivors of the bombings are called ‘hibakusha’. The UN has had a longstanding relationship with the hibakusha.

• In the aftermath of the bombings, the hibakusha conducted intense investigations in efforts to prevent such destruction from ever occurring again. 

• In 2024, the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo — which represents the survivors of the Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombings — was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its tireless work in raising awareness about threats of nuclear war.

• This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation

• Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous weapons on earth. One can destroy a whole city, potentially killing millions, and jeopardising the natural environment and lives of future generations through its long-term catastrophic effects. 

• The dangers from such weapons arise from their very existence. 

• Although nuclear weapons have only been used twice in warfare, about 12,500 reportedly remain in our world today and there have been over 2,000 nuclear tests conducted to date. 

• Disarmament is the best protection against such dangers but achieving this goal has been a tremendously difficult challenge.

• The UN has sought to eliminate such weapons ever since its establishment. 

• The first resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1946 established a Commission to deal with problems related to the discovery of atomic energy among others. The Commission was to make proposals for the control of atomic energy to the extent necessary to ensure its use only for peaceful purposes.

• Several multilateral treaties have since been established with the aim of preventing nuclear proliferation and testing, while promoting progress in nuclear disarmament.

• These include the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests In The Atmosphere, In Outer Space And Under Water, also known as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was signed in 1996 but has yet to enter into force, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

• More than half of the world’s population still lives in countries that either have such weapons or are members of nuclear alliances. 

• While the number of deployed nuclear weapons has appreciably declined since the height of the Cold War, not one nuclear weapon has been physically destroyed pursuant to a treaty. 

• The UN commemorates September 26 as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. 

• This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority. It provides an opportunity to educate the public — and their leaders — about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them.

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