Comment from the Mayor Regarding the Passing of Pope Francis (April 21, 2025)

I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.

When His Holiness visited our city in November 2019, he stated that “the possessing of nuclear weapons is immoral,” and that “a true peace can only be an unarmed peace”—a powerful message to world policymakers. His convictions, which align with the Spirit of Hiroshima, gave courage to the countless citizens around the world who hope for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

I would like to reiterate my deepest respect for Pope Francis, who sympathized with the sadness and suffering wrought by the atomic bombings, and, with hope in his heart, continued to take action for a genuinely peaceful world free from nuclear weapons and war. May he rest in peace.

April 21, 2025

MATSUI Kazumi
Mayor
The City of Hiroshima