NEARLY 70% OF ATOMIC BOMB SURVIVORS IN JAPAN FEAR NUCLEAR WEAPONS COULD BE USED AGAIN: SURVEY

Mon 14 July 2025:

Nearly 70% of atomic bomb survivors in Japan believe nuclear weapons could be used again, citing growing global tensions, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and North Korea’s weapons development, a survey by Kyodo News Agency revealed Sunday, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombings.

Around 1,500 survivors took part in the survey, with 68.6% saying the risk of nuclear weapons being used again is increasing.

Some 45.7% of respondents said they “cannot forgive” the US for the bombings, while 24.3% said they have “no special feelings” and 16.9% said they “did not know.”

This year marks 80 years since the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in western Japan near the end of World War II.

On Aug. 6, 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing an estimated 140,000 people.

A second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later, resulting in about 70,000 additional deaths.

Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945, officially marking the end of World War II.

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Nuclear weapons are highly destructive devices that derive their power from nuclear reactions, either fission or fusion. As of 2025, nine countries possess nuclear arsenals: the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel (though Israel’s program is officially unacknowledged).

Russia and the U.S. hold the vast majority, with approximately 5,580 and 5,044 warheads respectively, according to recent estimates. Other nations have smaller stockpiles, ranging from China’s ~500 to North Korea’s ~50.These weapons are categorized by delivery systems: intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers.

Their destructive power varies, from kilotons (Hiroshima’s bomb was ~15 kt) to megatons. The global total is around 12,100 warheads, down from a Cold War peak of ~70,000.The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) aims to limit spread, but tensions persist due to modernization efforts, geopolitical rivalries, and concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Arms control agreements like New START (U.S.-Russia) are under strain, with ongoing debates about disarmament versus deterrence.

Nuclear weapons remain a critical global security issue, balancing deterrence with the risk of catastrophic misuse.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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