NAGASAKI -- Mayor Tomihisa Taue marked the 62nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city on Thursday by saying in a peace declaration that Japan should enact its three non-nuclear principles into law.

Taue, who was elected mayor of Nagasaki after the fatal shooting of Mayor Itcho Ito earlier this year, said that the world is "facing a crisis in terms of the breakdown of the very structure of nuclear non-proliferation."

This is because India, Pakistan and North Korea have taken up nuclear arms in addition to the nuclear weapon states of the Unites States, Russin, Britain, France and China, he said.

"The Japanese government, as the government of a nation that has experienced nuclear devastation, must demonstrate strong leadership in the context of international society for the elimination of nuclear
weapons," Taue said.

Taue also referred to the "erroneous interpretation of the atomic bombings and discussion of potential nuclear weapons possession" in Japan. By this, Taue implicitly criticized former Defense Minister Fumio

Kyuma for saying the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki could not be prevented.

The mayor then added that Japan should bring into law its three principles of not developing, not possessing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into the country.

About 4,800 people, including atomic bomb survivors, attended the ceremony held at Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in his address at the ceremony that he would do his utmost for the abolition of nuclear weapons. (Mainichi)

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