Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito called Wednesday on the United States and North Korea to move toward nuclear abolishment to help fend off a collapse of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

"Voices of anger and frustration are echoing throughout the city," Ito said. "The time has come for those nations that rely on the force of nuclear arms to respectfully heed the voices of peace-loving people, not least the atomic bomb survivors."

The speech was delivered as part of the Peace Declaration for the 61st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki in World War II that ultimately claimed the lives of an estimated 70,000 people by the end of 1945.