Japan condemned US President Donald Trump for comparing recent US strikes on Iran to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended World War II. "That hit ended the war," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. "I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing." About 140,000 people died when the US dropped atomic bombs on the two southern Japanese cities in August 1945. Survivors live with psychological trauma and heightened cancer risk to this day. If Trump's comments "justifies the dropping of the atomic bomb, it is extremely regrettable for us as a city that was bombed," said Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki. Trump's comments are "unacceptable", said Mimaki Toshiyuki, an atomic bomb survivor who co-chairs the Nobel Peace Prize-winning advocacy group Nihon Hidankyo, according to public broadcaster NHK. "I'm really disappointed. All I have is anger," said another member of the group, Teruko Yokoyama, in a Kyodo News report. Survivors of the atomic bomb attacks staged a protest in Hiroshima on Thursday, demanding Trump retract his statement. Lawmakers in Hiroshima also passed a resolution on Thursday rejecting statements that justify the use of atomic bombs. They also called for armed conflicts to be settled peacefully. Asked if Tokyo would lodge a complaint over Trump's remarks, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said that Japan has repeatedly expressed its position on atomic bombs to Washington. Trump's comments on Wednesday came as hepushed back on a leaked intelligence reportthat said US strikes on Iran only set its nuclear programme back by a few months. Trump had insisted that the strikes "obliterated" the programme and set it back "decades" -a claim backed by CIA director John Ratcliffe. Japan is the only country in the world to have been hit by a nuclear attack and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki stir painful memories. In Hiroshima, a peace flame that symbolises the country's opposition to nuclear weapons has been burning since the 1960s while a clock that counts the number of days since the world's last nuclear attack is displayed at the entrance of a war museum. World leaders who visit Hiroshima are also asked to make paper cranes to affirm their commitment to peace.
Outrage as Trump compares Iran strikes to Japan atomic bombing
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"Japan Criticizes Trump's Comparison of Iran Strikes to Atomic Bombings"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Japan has expressed strong condemnation toward US President Donald Trump's recent comments that likened US military strikes on Iran to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which ended World War II. During a press conference, Trump stated, "I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing," implying a justification for the use of force in the context of military strategy. The atomic bombings in August 1945 resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 individuals and left a lasting legacy of trauma and health issues among survivors. The remarks have ignited outrage among Japanese officials and survivors alike, with Nagasaki's Mayor Shiro Suzuki describing Trump's comments as "extremely regrettable" and asserting that they could be interpreted as an endorsement of the atomic bombings. Survivors, including members of the advocacy group Nihon Hidankyo, expressed their disappointment and anger, with protests occurring in Hiroshima demanding a retraction of Trump's statements.
In response to the backlash, Japanese officials have reiterated their position on the atomic bombings, emphasizing the need for peace and the rejection of military justifications for nuclear warfare. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa noted that Japan has consistently communicated its stance to the United States regarding the atomic bombings. Trump's remarks coincided with his defense of a controversial intelligence report suggesting that US strikes on Iran had only minimally impacted its nuclear program. Despite claiming that the strikes had significantly hindered Iran's nuclear ambitions, the comments have revived painful memories for Japan, the only nation to have endured nuclear attacks. Hiroshima, a city that has become a symbol of peace, features memorials such as a peace flame and a clock marking the days since the last nuclear attack, reinforcing Japan's commitment to preventing future conflicts through dialogue rather than violence.
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