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Today Hiroshima commemorated the 53rd Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing. From the early morning, the city was embraced with prayer and pledges of many people hoping to build solid peace for the coming century.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony was solemnly observed from 8:00 AM at Peace Memorial Park which is situated in the city's Naka-Ward. Survivors, bereaved families, and 50,000 attendants from all over Japan and overseas prayed for the repose of victims' souls and renew their vow to work resolutely for the elimination of nuclear weapons and for world peace.

In the ceremony, Hiroshima Mayor, Takashi Hiraoka and two representatives of the bereaved families solemnly dedicated the Register of the Names of the Fallen Atomic Bomb Victims to the Memorial Cenotaph. The total number of survivors who deceased and the death found since August 6, last year is 4,927. The total number of listed names of victims is 27,7045. Two register books were added this year and there are 71 volumes as of today.

Following the representatives of bereaved families, who came from 41 different prefectures, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, Governor Yuzan Fujita and other top officials dedicated flower wreathes to the cenotaph.

At 8:15 AM, the time the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a representative from the bereaved families and a child from children's representatives tolled the "Bell of Peace". While the sound of bell resounded, all the attendants observed a minute of silence and mourned for the victims.

After the silent prayer, Hiroshima Mayor Takashi Hiraoka delivered the Peace Declaration in front of Indian Ambassador to Japan Siddharth Singh and Pakistani Ambassador to Japan Toquir Hussain. He criticized both countries in the declaration, "With the nuclear tests by first India and Pakistan, tension has been raised to new extremes in Southwest Asia and the nuclear non-proliferation regime has been shaken to its core." He also pointed out that the five declared nuclear states made only glacial progress on the nuclear disarmament negotiations mandated under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. He said, "The leaders of the nuclear states need to focus not on their own narrow national interests but on the future of humanity and need to fulfill their responsibilities to the international community as soon as possible." He demanded all countries to initiate negotiations on a treaty for the nonuse of nuclear weapons.

Following the Peace Declaration, the children's representatives delivered the "Commitment to Peace". They pledged in the commitment, "As the children and the future of Hiroshima, we will continue to convey the horror of nuclear weapons. Then, clinging to our hopes and dreams, we pledge to join hands with friends from around the globe and do our best to spread throughout the world the desire to create true peace."

Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said in his address that Japan is planning to launch "an emergency action conference on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament issues" on August 30. Obuchi vowed by saying, "It is Japan's utmost mission to make further progress on nuclear weapons states' nuclear disarmament."