Nagasaki defends exclusion of Israel from atomic bomb memorial despite U.S. and U.K. criticism

JAPAN: Nagasaki will hold its annual ceremony on 9 August to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city.

The city extended invitations to representatives from 154 countries and territories.

However, on 31 July, Mayor Suzuki Shiro announced that the Israeli ambassador to Japan would not be among the invitees.

Mayor Suzuki emphasized that this decision was not politically motivated but was intended to ensure a peaceful and solemn atmosphere during the ceremony, which is dedicated to mourning the victims of the atomic bomb.

The mayor also stated that the exclusion was intended to safeguard the safety of participants and ensure smooth proceedings during the event.

In addition to Israel, Russia and its ally Belarus—both involved in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—were also excluded from the invitation list.

Earlier, in June, the city had deferred its decision on inviting the Israeli envoy due to ongoing violence in Gaza.

Instead of sending an invitation, Nagasaki sent a letter urging Israel to cease hostilities in the region.

In contrast, Hiroshima, which hosts its own annual peace memorial ceremony on 6 August, did invite the Israeli ambassador to attend.

Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen expressed disappointment over Nagasaki’s decision, describing it as “regrettable” in a social media post.

He argued that the move “sends the wrong message to the world and detracts from the core message that Nagasaki has been promoting for years.”

The ambassador also reaffirmed Israel’s stance, stating, “Israel is exercising its full right and moral obligation to defend itself and its citizens and will continue to do so.”

The decision by Nagasaki's mayor not to invite Israel to the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 9th is regrettable, sends a wrong message to the world, and deflects from the core message that Nagasaki has been promoting for years. As a close friend and like-minded nation of Japan,…

— Gilad Cohen 🇮🇱🎗️ (@GiladCohen_) July 31, 2024

The exclusion of the Israeli ambassador comes as Israel continues to engage in conflict with Hamas forces in Gaza, an assault that has reduced much of the densely populated strip to ruins and, according to Gaza’s health ministry, resulted in the deaths of more than 39,600 Palestinians.

U.S. and U.K. ambassadors to skip Nagasaki atomic bombing ceremony

The U.S. and U.K. ambassadors to Japan will not attend the annual memorial ceremony marking the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Friday, following the city’s decision to exclude the Israeli ambassador from the event.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will instead participate in a smaller ceremony in Tokyo, the U.S. Embassy announced on Wednesday (7 Aug).

A spokesperson for the embassy explained that while Ambassador Emanuel wishes to honor the occasion, he does not want to be part of an increasingly politicized event.

The U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka confirmed that Principal Officer Chuka Asike will represent the United States at the Nagasaki ceremony in Emanuel’s absence.

Similarly, British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom announced on Tuesday that she would not attend the Nagasaki ceremony, expressing concerns that her presence could send the wrong message, potentially equating Israel’s exclusion with that of Russia.

Additionally, the ambassadors of Germany, France, Italy, and Canada have also decided not to attend the ceremony.

According to statements given to Japanese media, representatives from these countries indicated that their decision was influenced by the exclusion of Israel.

Instead, counselors and consuls from these nations will attend the event in their place.

Nagasaki Mayor defends decision to exclude Israeli ambassador

Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki Shiro reaffirmed his decision to exclude the Israeli ambassador from the city’s annual peace ceremony on Friday, despite criticism from senior diplomats of the United States and other Group of Seven (G7) nations who said the move would keep them from attending.

In a press conference on Thursday (8 Aug), Mayor Suzuki emphasized that the decision was not politically motivated but was intended to ensure a calm and solemn atmosphere for mourning the victims of the atomic bombing.

“It was a difficult decision,” Mayor Suzuki acknowledged, adding that the priority was to conduct the 9 August ceremony smoothly.

The mayor’s remarks came after reports surfaced that ambassadors from the G7 nations, excluding Japan, along with the Tokyo-based representative of the European Union, had sent a letter of concern to Suzuki on 19 July.

The letter expressed unease over the exclusion of Israel from the event.

When asked to clarify what he meant by “holding the ceremony smoothly,” Mayor Suzuki explained that 9 August is the most significant day of the year for Nagasaki.

He noted that many atomic bomb survivors, whose average age is over 85, will be attending the ceremony in severe heat.

“After comprehensively considering the matter, including the risk of unexpected situations, I decided not to invite the Israeli ambassador,” he said.

Mayor Suzuki expressed disappointment over the absence of the U.S. and European ambassadors but expressed hope that they would attend future ceremonies.