Tokyo: The mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have warned of the growing danger of nuclear weapons use worldwide, urging US President Donald Trump to visit their cities during his upcoming trip to Japan.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki sent a joint letter to Trump inviting him to visit the two cities that were devastated by US atomic bombings during World War II.

The letter was issued as Washington and Tokyo discuss arrangements for Trump’s visit ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for October 31 to November 1 in Gyeongju, South Korea.

In their letter, the two Japanese mayors warned that the risk of nuclear weapons use has risen again, nearly 80 years after the atomic bombings.

They called on Trump to listen to the voices of the survivors of this human tragedy, for which the United States was responsible, and to take seriously the inhumane consequences of such attacks.

The mayors’ appeal comes amid growing concerns over global nuclear tensions, including the modernization of arsenals and rising geopolitical frictions among major powers.

Speculation has emerged that Trump’s trip to the region could include a possible meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, though no such encounter has been confirmed.

Trump, however, has ruled out any talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit, saying there is ‘no reason’ to meet him after Beijing restricted exports of rare earth elements vital to US industries.