Japan Blasts Trump’s Hiroshima-Nagasaki Comparison Over Iranian Strikes
(MENAFN) Japan voiced sharp condemnation on Friday over US President Donald Trump's controversial comparison of recent airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites to the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The remarks, made by Trump on June 22, ignited an uproar, with Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya stressing that the "scars" of the bombings "should never be repeated." Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, Iwaya highlighted the immense toll the bombings had on Japan, including “the loss of many valuable lives” and the long-term suffering from illnesses and various other issues.
“This was very regrettable in terms of a humanitarian standpoint,” Iwaya stated, according to a video recording of the briefing. Iwaya strongly emphasized that the “scars of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should never be repeated.”
Trump’s comparison came in a meeting on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in The Hague. While discussing the US strikes on Iran, Trump said, “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. That ended that war."
However, Iwaya strongly disagreed with Trump's assertion, saying, The "use of nuclear weapons… (is) a destructive power to kill; it does not align with the spirit of humanitarian principles."
As the only nation to have endured atomic bombings, Japan’s stance on nuclear weapons remains deeply rooted in its historical experience. The US dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing approximately 140,000 people, and a second bomb followed on Nagasaki three days later, claiming an additional 70,000 lives. Japan’s surrender shortly thereafter marked the end of World War II.
The Japanese foreign minister stated, “Towards a nuclear-free world, we will take doable and realistic initiatives,” while avoiding a direct comment on whether Tokyo would protest Trump's remarks.
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