Nagasaki marked the 62nd anniversary of the world’s second atomic bomb attack with a sombre ceremony today and calls for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apologised today over a former defence minister's suggestion that the 1945 US nuclear attacks were justified, and promised expanded medical support for survivors.

JAPAN’S defence minister apologised yesterday for comments about the 1945 US atomic bomb attacks on the country that outraged survivors and drew criticism from the ruling bloc ahead of a key election in July.

Defence minister Fumio Kyuma apologised today for saying the US atomic bombings of Japan during the Second World War “couldn’t be helped”.

US President George Bush’s State of the Union address today failed to stir much support in Asia, where many saw it as evidence he had been politically weakened by the war in Iraq.