NAGASAKI — Nagasaki marked the 62nd anniversary of the atomic bombing here Thursday with criticism of nations that have tested or are suspected of possessing or pursuing nuclear weapons, and people in Japan who advocate acquiring them.
"India, Pakistan and North Korea have taken up nuclear arms under the excuse of self-defense. In the Middle East, the nuclear nonproliferation structure is being shaken by Israel, generally regarded as possessing nuclear weapons, and by the suspicions of nuclear (arms) development in Iran," said Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue in the city's annual peace declaration.
But Taue reserved his sharpest criticism for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, which saw Fumio Kyuma resign as defense minister last month for saying the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki "could not be helped" — remarks critics interpreted as implying he felt the attacks were justified.