Hiroshima bomb survivor hopeful G7 summit would shun use of nuclear arms

HIROSHIMA: As the G7 or the Group of Seven countries summit is currently underway in the historic city of Hiroshima, the survivor of the atomic bomb attack urges the G7 leaders to shun the use of nuclear arms.

Now 80, Kubota Masayuki was just 3-year-old on August 6, when the US dropped "Little Boy" at the tail end of World War II. He recalled his horror of survival during the attack and remembered the moment when the first nuclear bomb to ever be used was dropped by the United States on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

"My name is Kubota Masayuki. Born in 1942, I was just 3-year-old when the atomic bomb struck my home. Now, I am 80-years-old", says Masayuki in an interview with ANI.

As he goes on to recall the events of August 6, 1945, Masayuki tells that 'though nothing much happened to him during the attack, days later he lost his father who was burnt when the bomb hit'.

Hiroshima was the first military target of a nuclear weapon in human history. This occurred on August 6, 1945, in the Pacific theatre of World War II, at 8:15 am, when the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy" on the city.

Most of Hiroshima was destroyed, and by the end of the year between 90,000 and 166,000 had died due to the blast and its effects. It dropped a second bomb three days later on Nagasaki, killing another 70,000. Japan surrendered on August 15, ending World War II.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) serves as a memorial of the bombing. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has roots in Hiroshima, chose the city in part to highlight their nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

Earlier in the day, G7 leaders laid flowers at a memorial to the victims of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Joe Biden became the second sitting US president to visit Hiroshima, after Barack Obama in 2016.

"Thank you Fumio Kishida for such a warm welcome to the G7. It was deeply moving to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park which holds such significance. This Summit carries the weight of history and it's important that we learn from the past, including from its darkest moments," tweeted UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Japan is hosting the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, the hometown of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, from May 19 -21, welcoming leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The European Union is also a "non-enumerated member".