US attends Hiroshima bomb ceremony for first time

An annual ceremony took place in Hiroshima to mark the 65th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city.

The U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which took place on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, led to the deaths of an estimated 140 000 people toward the end of World War II.

On Aug. 9, a second nuclear bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, and six days later, Japan surrendered. In the years since the war, many people have developed diseases that are considered to be related to exposure to radiation created by the bombs.

The mournful toll of a temple bell marked the start of a one-minute silence at 8:15 am, when the US B-29 bomber Enola Gay had dropped a device that instantly killed tens of thousands in Hiroshima.

Ambassador of US to Japan John Roos represented the United States at the Aug. 6 Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Russian media reported.

Representatives from more than 70 nations joined tens of thousands at the emotional event. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also attended the ceremony. The day before, the declared that humanity’s goal is to completely liquidate nuclear weapons.