Iroshima marks 76th anniversary of deadly tomic bombing with low-key ceremonies

Japan on Friday ked 76 years since the d’s first atomic bomb attack, low-key ceremonies and pointment over a refusal by pics organisers to hold a ute’s silence. rvivors, relatives and a ful of foreign dignitaries ded this year’s main event iroshima to pray for those black and wearing face masks, offered a silent prayer at 8.15 am, when the first nuclear weapon used in wartime was dropped.

An estimated 140,000 people were killed in the bombing of Hiroshima, which was followed three days later by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

On Friday, Hiroshima’s mayor called for leaders to visit the cities, and warned “experience has taught humanity that threatening others for self-defence benenuclear disarmament - apparently by accident.

International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach made a trip to Hiroshima before the Games began, to mark the start of an Olympic truce that urges a halt to fighting worldwide to allow the safe passage of athletes. But organisers stopped short of granting a request from bomb survivors and the city for a minute of silent prayer on Friday morning.

Higaki from Hiroshima’s peace promotion division told AFP.

“It is disappointing, even though we appreciate that Bach visited Hiroshima to learn the reality of bomb victims,” he said.

Bach’s controversial visit saw more than 70,000 people signing a petition opposing the trip and accusing him of seeking to “promote the Olympics” despite opposition to the Games.

This year’s ceremony is the first since an international treaty