74 years since the end of the war

On the 15th, 74 years after the end of the war, there will be meetings and events all over the country that memorialize about 3.1 million war dead and think about peace.

Among them, at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, a government-sponsored nationwide memorial service for the war dead was held, and the emperors and emperors attended, and about 6000 people including the bereaved families who died in the war are expected to attend.

At the ceremony, Prime Minister Abe will give a ceremony and everyone will be silent for 1 minute in time for the noon time signal. And after the Emperor, who took the throne in May, said the words in the memorial service for the first time, the attendees handed flowers to the ceremony hall and memorialized about 3.1 million war dead.

74 years have passed since the end of the war, and the bereaved families are aging. About 80% of the bereaved families are over 70 years old.

There are six wives of war dead who will attend, and the oldest 97-year-old woman is scheduled to attend because of her husband who died in Okinawa. As the number of generations who know the war directly decreases, 125 people including the bereaved families of younger people under the age of 20 are expected to attend the ceremony.

On the 15th, various other gatherings and events will be held throughout the country to mourn the war dead and think about peace.