Japan has marked the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima today with a somber ceremony.

 

　　Around 50-thousand people attended the annual ceremony, including victims of the bombing and foreign diplomats at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

 

　　All attendees offered a silent prayer at 8:15 a.m. local time when the bomb hit in 1945, killing around 140-thousand people.

 

　　Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also attended the ceremony, pledging to work towards the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

 

　　"I swear that I will spare no effort to make lasting peace a reality and abolish nuclear weapons, while standing steadfast with the three non-nuclear principles."

 

　　The anniversary comes as Japan remains torn over the possibility of restarting the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

 

　　More than 100-thousand people remain displaced because of radioactivity concerns near the plant, which has been crippled since the earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

 

　　At the same time, plant operator TEPCO now concedes radioactive water has been seeping into the ocean from the facility.