有限会社 芳美商事

A Critical Examination of the Atomic Bomb Memorial Ceremonies: A Call to End Hollow Rituals and Demand True Accountability

1. Introduction: The Meaninglessness of Repetitive Mourning

Every year, Hiroshima and Nagasaki host solemn ceremonies, where world leaders gather, offer flowers, bow their heads, and proclaim the same empty words: “We vow never to repeat this mistake.” And yet, the world continues to arm itself with nuclear weapons, engage in wars, and conveniently ignore its own hypocrisy.

This paper challenges the glaring contradictions in these memorials from three perspectives:

The violation of religious freedom – Why should the state dictate how people mourn?

The dangerous vagueness of war guilt – Who exactly is vowing never to repeat this mistake? The victims? The aggressors? The indifferent bystanders?

The transformation of suffering into a performative spectacle – Have these ceremonies become nothing more than politically convenient, tourist-friendly rituals?

If we are serious about preventing future atrocities, we must stop repeating meaningless ceremonies and start demanding real accountability.

2. The Violation of Religious Freedom: Mourning as a Personal, Not Political, Act

2.1 The Japanese Constitution and the Principle of Religious Freedom

Article 20 of Japan’s Constitution clearly states:

Freedom of religion is guaranteed.

The state and its organs shall refrain from any religious activity.

A government-organized memorial that includes moments of silence, religious chants, and ritualistic mourning imposes a particular way of grieving upon its citizens. Mourning is deeply personal. Some may pray; others may choose silence. Some may feel rage; others may feel numb. No government has the right to dictate how one processes loss.

2.2 The Danger of State-Imposed Mourning

By enforcing a nationally sanctioned way of remembering, these ceremonies risk suppressing alternative perspectives, including:

Those who reject the idea of honoring the dead through rituals.

Those who believe Japan should focus on acknowledging its own war crimes rather than framing itself solely as a victim.

Those who see these ceremonies as political theater rather than genuine remembrance.

If we claim to uphold democratic values, we must reject the state’s monopolization of grief. Mourning should be a private choice, not a government-imposed spectacle.

3. The Dangerous Vagueness of the Slogan: “We Vow Never to Repeat This Mistake”

3.1 Who Is This “We”?

This infamous phrase, carved into the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, suffers from a fatal flaw: its deliberate vagueness. Who is making this vow?

Japan, as a former imperial aggressor?

The United States, as the country that dropped the bombs?

The global community, which continues to develop nuclear weapons while preaching peace?

This ambiguity allows every nation to read the message as someone else’s responsibility. It enables the United States to visit Hiroshima, express regret, but avoid acknowledging guilt. It lets nuclear-armed countries continue their policies while pretending to support disarmament. It turns the ceremony into a diplomatic game of empty condolences.

3.2 The Lie That “All Wars Are Mistakes”

The phrase also dangerously suggests that all wars are preventable mistakes, ignoring the reality of international law. The United Nations Charter itself recognizes war as a legitimate means of self-defense.

The U.S. justifies its wars in the name of democracy.

Russia invades under the guise of “historical claims.”

China builds military power while proclaiming peace.

Nations develop nuclear arsenals while signing non-proliferation treaties.

If war is an unavoidable instrument of statecraft, how can we promise never to “repeat this mistake”? The real question is not how to avoid war entirely but how to confront global hypocrisy.

4. When Remembrance Becomes a Hollow Performance

4.1 Ritualized Grief and Political Hypocrisy

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorials have become predictable performances:

Politicians offer carefully scripted speeches while continuing arms deals.

Media outlets recycle the same footage without asking hard questions.

Foreign dignitaries bow their heads while maintaining nuclear deterrence policies.

These rituals do not stop wars. They do not eliminate nuclear weapons. They do not hold anyone accountable.

They merely allow leaders to feign moral superiority while preserving the very systems that ensure future wars.

4.2 The Commodification of Suffering

Meanwhile, Hiroshima and Nagasaki have become tourist destinations, where the memory of war is packaged as an educational yet commercial experience:

Guided tours explaining the horrors of nuclear devastation.

Souvenirs sold in museum shops.

Memorial parks treated as Instagram photo spots.

At what point does “never forget” become “never stop profiting”? If the world truly wishes to honor Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it must move beyond symbolic mourning and demand real consequences for war crimes, past and present.

5. A New Way Forward: From Empty Mourning to Concrete Action

5.1 End State-Sanctioned Mourning

Abolish government-led memorials and allow individuals to mourn in their own way.

End forced moments of silence—true remembrance comes from conviction, not compulsion.

5.2 Replace Meaningless Rituals with Tangible Policies

Stop chanting “nuclear abolition” while continuing nuclear alliances.

Enforce strict accountability for war crimes—past and present.

Strengthen global efforts for nuclear disarmament beyond performative diplomacy.

5.3 Make War Remembrance Truly International

If these ceremonies are truly about global peace, why are they only held in Japan?

Why is the U.S. not holding an annual ceremony for its nuclear victims?

Why is there no international day of mourning for all war atrocities?

If the world truly believes in peace, it should not leave commemoration to the victims alone. Every nation must take responsibility, especially those who wield power.

6. Conclusion: Stop Repeating the Ritual of Empty Remorse

The world gathers in Hiroshima and Nagasaki every year, not to change, but to maintain the illusion of moral reflection. It is a cycle of performative guilt, allowing leaders to grieve without accountability and mourn without consequence.

If we are serious about preventing war, then we must stop repeating empty gestures and start dismantling the systems that perpetuate violence.

And if we are to promise, “We vow never to repeat this mistake,” then let us begin by breaking the greatest cycle of all—the cycle of hollow, self-serving remembrance.