NAGASAKI, Aug. 9 Kyodo -- Nagasaki on Friday marked the 57th anniversary of its 1945 atomic bombing by singling out the United States for condemnation of its nuclear policy.

It was the first time for a mayor of Nagasaki to denounce the U.S. by name in the annual peace declaration.

Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito criticized recent U.S. moves including its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia, its refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on nuclear weapons and its suggestion it may engage in preemptive nuclear strikes.

''We are appalled by this series of unilateral actions taken by the government of the United States, actions which are also being condemned by people of sound judgment throughout the world,'' Ito said.

The mayor also demanded the government enact legislation ''without delay'' to enshrine Japan's three principles of not possessing, producing and allowing nuclear weapons on its soil.

He also called on the government to create ''a Northeast Asia nuclear-weapon-free zone'' and ''present to international society a posture of nonreliance on the 'nuclear umbrella.'''

''The abolition of nuclear arms through mutual understanding and dialogue is an absolute precondition for the realization of a peaceful world,'' the mayor said, adding, ''Nagasaki must remain the final site of the calamity of a nuclear attack.''

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Chikara Sakaguchi also attended the ceremony held at the Nagasaki Peace Park in the southwestern Japan city.

Other attendees included House of Representatives Speaker Tamisuke Watanuki, House of Councillors President Hiroyuki Kurata, Nagasaki Gov. Genjiro Kaneko and Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba.

The ceremony started at 10:45 a.m. and Ito, along with a representative of an A-bomb victim's family and a survivor, placed three books listing the names of 2,564 people newly recognized by the city government as bomb victims in the year to Aug. 1 on a podium established in front of a 10-meter-high bronze statue in the park.

Several representatives of A-bomb survivors, victims' families and children dedicated holy water to the souls of A-bomb victims as many of them died while asking for water after the bombing.

At 11:02 a.m., the time when the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb 57 years ago, participants offered a minute of silent prayer as bells rang in the park.

After Ito read out his peace declaration, Mutsuko Tokai, 68, read a statement to wish for peace on behalf of A-bomb survivors.

Koizumi then delivered a speech and renewed his pledge to maintain the pacifist Constitution and no-nuclear weapons policy.

''I aim at realizing a safe world without nuclear weapons as soon as possible, promoting nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation and doing my utmost for the abolition of nuclear weapons by leading international society,'' Koizumi said.

The premier also said he will do his best to promote measures to assist survivors of the atomic bombing considering the fact the survivors are getting old.

Two 16-year-old high school students -- Hironari Takano and Mari Goto -- acted as master of ceremonies during the event.

The total number of victims of the atomic bomb in the city is estimated at 129,193 as of Aug. 1, including some 74,000 killed in the initial blast and from aftereffects by the end of 1945.