Prime Minister Naoto Kan commits to reducing reliance on nuclear power at Hiroshima memorial

[AsahinaKimi]

Japanese Prime Minister Nato Kan speaks during a press conference in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan pledged Saturday in Hiroshima to work toward the elimination of nuclear weapons and lowering Japan's reliance on nuclear power following the Fukushima nuclear crisis, which he said has caused great anxiety overseas about radiation-induced health risks.

Kan said Japan will continue trying to lead global discussions on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, and aiming for "a society that does not rely on nuclear power generation" in his speech during a ceremony to mark the 66th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city.

The world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant is the center of attention at this year's ceremony, along with the abolition of nuclear weapons and support measures for atomic-bomb survivors.

Kan also said that Japan, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attack, has a historical responsibility to pass on the horrifying reality of nuclear weapons to future generations.

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http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20110806p2g00m0dm025000c.html

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