CNN reported on Thursday that the authorities in Nagasaki, Japan, have decided not to invite Israel to the annual ceremony commemorating the atomic bombing of the city in 1945. This decision comes amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the surrounding global tensions. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki stated that the decision was made to ensure the ceremony takes place in an "atmosphere of peace."
"I want to emphasize that this decision is not driven by political considerations but by our desire to hold the ceremony to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombs in a somber and peaceful atmosphere, and to ensure the ceremony proceeds smoothly," said the mayor, noting that the decision was "difficult." In June, Suzuki called on Israel to cease fire in Gaza and expressed concern about potential disruptions at the ceremony if Israel participated while still engaged in conflict. He announced yesterday that he had not seen any change that would reduce the risk of inviting Israel.
The ceremony in Nagasaki will take place on August 9, and in recent weeks, the city council has faced pressure from activists and organizations representing survivors of the 1945 bombing not to invite Israel to the event due to the mass casualties caused by its bombings in Gaza. Diplomats from around the world are invited annually to this ceremony and a similar, larger one, to emphasize the importance of peace and the dangers of nuclear weapons proliferation. Unlike Nagasaki, the city of Hiroshima announced last month that it has no intention of canceling Israel's invitation to its ceremony, despite facing similar pressures.
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed tens of thousands of people, some immediately after the impact and others in the months and years that followed due to radiation-induced illnesses. The bombings ultimately led to Japan's surrender in World War II.
Israel's ambassador to Japan, Gilad Cohen, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Nagasaki's decision is regrettable and sends the wrong message to the world: "Israel is exercising its full right and moral obligation to defend itself and its citizens and will continue to do so. There is no comparison between Israel, which is being brutally attacked by terrorist organizations and any other conflict, any attempt to present it otherwise distorts the reality."