U.N. Chief Visits Nagasaki, Renews Nuclear-Free Pledge

Nagasaki, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)--U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon
reiterated his belief that the world can be free of nuclear weapons when he
visited Nagasaki on Thursday, becoming the first U.N. chief to do so.
At the blast site of a U.S. atomic bomb dropped on this
southwestern city on Aug. 9, 1945, Ban said, "With a strong commitment and
conviction, we can achieve a world without nuclear weapons."
Before delivering the message, Ban, together with his wife, laid
flowers at ground zero. He also prayed and gave a deep bow.
At the beginning of the message, Ban said in Japanese that he came
to Nagasaki for the purpose of world peace.
"I have come to honor the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) for the
extraordinary hardships they have had to endure," he said. "The only way to
ensure that such weapons will never again be used is to eliminate them all."
Before visiting the blast center, Ban toured the Nagasaki Atomic
Bomb Museum and met with six atomic bomb survivors, including Sumiteru
Taniguchi, chairman of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council.
At the meeting, Ban said he wants to work together with the
survivors to abolish nuclear weapons, according to those present.
During the tour of the museum, Ban spoke with Taniguchi, 81, in
front of a picture of the then 16-year-old, who suffered severe radiation
burns on his back.
Later on Thursday, Ban visited Urakami Cathedral, a Catholic church
located near the hypocenter. The church is known for the head of a statue of
the Virgin Mary that survived the atomic bombing.
On Friday, Ban will attend a peace memorial ceremony in Hiroshima
to mark the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the western Japan city
at the end of World War II. He will be the first U.N. chief to participate
in the Hiroshima ceremony.


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