Nagasaki remembers 1945 US atomic bombing victims

Nagasaki Medical College, which was damaged by the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, is seen in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, in this undated handout photo taken by Torahiko Ogawa and distributed by the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing about 140,000 by the end of the year, out of the 350,000 who lived in the city. Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. As the 70th anniversary of the world's first nuclear attack approaches, Reuters photographer Issei Kato sourced archive images of the cities in the aftermath of the bombing and revisited the same locations today. Reuters

Commemorations will be held in Japan's Nagasaki city on Sunday to mark the 70th year of US atomic bombing on the city, killing at least 70,000 people.

A memorial ceremony will be organised in Nagasaki at 11.02 a.m (local time) exactly at the time when a US B-29 strategic bomber dropped a "Fat Man" atomic bomb on the city on August 9, 1945, reported TASS news agency.

A minute of silence will be observed in Japan. Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue will read out a declaration of peace, which calls for total nuclear disarmament.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also address the people of Nagasaki. By tradition, a flock of white doves - symbols of peace - will be released.

The Nagasaki city administration said representatives of more than 80 countries will attend the memorial events this year.

Rose Gottemoeller, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, as well as the US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy will represent the United States.

Britain and France have also sent their delegations to Nagasaki. Russian embassy employees will represent Russia. An Iranian delegation is attending the commemorations for the first time.

Nagasaki became the second Japanese city after Hiroshima to be subjected to US atomic bombings in August 1945.

At least 70,000 died in the Nagasaki attack, which came three days after another bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, according to BBC.

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