Nagasaki Defies Pressure, Refuses to Invite Israel to Nuclear Commemoration
Sudan Events – Agencies
The Nagasaki local government has defied pressure from the Group of Seven (G7) nations and stands by its decision to keep away Israel from an event to commemorate the US nuclear bombing of Japan during World War
Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said the decision was “not politically motivated”, the Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.
There would be no change to the decision, Suzuki said, recalling his government’s move to not invite Israeli officials to its annual event scheduled for Friday in southwestern Nagasaki.
In a co-ordinated move against Suzuki’s decision, envoys of the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the EU — G7 members — have linked their presence with an invitation to Israel, which Nagasaki has refused.
Suzuki’s decision has drawn wide support, particularly among young people.
Each year, over 150 countries and territories send dignitaries to Japan’s annual memorial ceremony. This year, Israel was excluded along with Russia and Belarus, who have been omitted since 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.
Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki Shiro mentioned that the decision was made due to concerns that the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and public protests against the attacks might disrupt the ceremony.
The move was “not based on political judgment but an intention to conduct the ceremony to console the atomic bomb victims in a peaceful and solemn manner”, Suzuki said in a news conference.
However, US Ambassador to Tokyo Rahm Israel Emanuel announced they would skip the memorial ceremony for the atomic bombing anniversary on August 9 due to Japan’s decision not to invite Israel to the ceremony.
Rahm Israel Emanuel has stated that although he attended the Hiroshima ceremony, he would not attend the Nagasaki ceremony, expressing his desire not to “politicise the event”.
