Nagasaki to invite Russia, Israel to A-bomb memorial event
Last year's Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony was held in the city on Aug. 9, 2024, to commemorate the anniversary of the 1945 atomic bombing. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
NAGASAKI—In a break from last year's snubs, the city government here will invite Russia, Belarus and Israel to the annual Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony, Mayor Shiro Suzuki announced at a May 8 news conference.
'We'd like every country to gather for the ceremony in Nagasaki, where an atomic bomb was dropped, despite all the divisions,' Suzuki said.
The choice is a departure from the city's stance last year where the three were not invited. Israel's exclusion earned the city criticism and backlash from countries including the United States and Britain.
Both nations' ambassadors and those from four other major countries and the EU skipped the 2024 ceremony.
Each year, the city sends invitations to foreign diplomatic missions in Japan for its annual peace ceremony that is held on the Aug. 9 anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
However, since 2022 it has refrained from inviting Russia and Belarus because of the Russian invasion to Ukraine.
Israel was added to this list last year in light of its continued attacks on Gaza in Palestine; organizers were concerned about potential protests and other unpredictable risks during the ceremony.
Rahm Emanuel, then-U.S. ambassador to Japan, argued this was not the case and the snub was for political reasons rather than security risks.
Suzuki said the reason for this year's change was made based on his experience attending the third Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The meeting of the committee was held at the U.N. headquarters in New York from April 28 to May 9.
Suzuki felt the international situation around realizing a world without nuclear weapons was "extremely severe" during the meeting.
'I want them to witness and feel, with their eyes, ears and hearts, the cruel and inhumane consequences of nuclear weapons in today's deeply divided world,' he said.
The city plans to invite a total of 157 countries and regions to this year's event. Bag checks and increased security are part of its risk management plan and it hopes to carry out the ceremony in a solemn and peaceful setting.
Hiroshima, which was bombed three days before Nagasaki, did not invite Russia and Belarus to its annual ceremony last year. The city was criticized for its "double standard" in choosing to welcome Israel.
This year, it is changing its system of extending "invitations" and will instead "notify" entities of the event.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
3 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kim says North Korea to "unconditionally support" Russia in Ukraine war
KYODO NEWS - 11 hours ago - 12:27 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told a top Russian security official Wednesday that Pyongyang will "unconditionally support" Moscow's foreign policy, including its war in Ukraine, and further solidify the bilateral partnership, according to state-run media. During the meeting in Pyongyang, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu expressed gratitude for North Korean soldiers' "matchless heroism and self-sacrificing spirit" in operations to liberate the Kursk region, the official Korean Central News Agency said. They "defended the precious part of the Russian territory as their own motherland, fighting shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers in the same trench," Shoigu was quoted as saying. Ukraine mounted a surprise offensive in the Kursk region in August last year. Kim and Shoigu, who met at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea headquarters, also discussed "a series of important matters for defending the common core interests," the report said without elaborating. Moscow and Pyongyang have been boosting military cooperation recently, with North Korea sending troops to aid Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Pyongyang is believed to have received technical assistance from Moscow for the development its military capabilities. Shoigu's trip to North Korea came before the first anniversary on June 19 of the signing of a bilateral comprehensive partnership treaty by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang. The pact includes a clause covering mutual assistance in cases of aggression against either country. Putin has expressed his desire to hold a summit with Kim in Moscow, but KCNA did not mention whether Shoigu discussed the matter with the North Korean leader. Shoigu last met with Kim during his visit to Pyongyang in March. Related coverage: North Korea confirms troop deployment to Russia under bilateral pact Russia acknowledges North Korea troops fighting Ukraine war for 1st time
Nikkei Asia
9 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
EU pushes for China trade 'rebalancing' as Trump factor looms
BRUSSELS -- Gaps between Brussels and Beijing on trade issues show little sign of narrowing even as negotiations accelerate ahead of a possible call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. European Union trade chief Maros Sefcovic and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met on the sidelines of an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ministerial conference in Paris on Tuesday -- their third meeting since March. The two sides have agreed to convene again later this month, as they prepare for a high-level EU-China summit in July.
Asahi Shimbun
12 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: File on Xu Qinxian's refusal at Tiananmen remains open
When I come across information in a newspaper or on the internet about a subject that piques my journalistic curiosity, I save it and file it away in the hopes of doing a story later. As this has been my habit for quite a while, my files just keep growing, and I need to keep them under control by tidying them up from time to time. However, there inevitably are materials that make me pause the task and think. One example is my dossier on Xu Qinxian (1935-2021). According to what is written on a piece of paper in my hand, Xu was born into a poor family in China's Hubei province. He volunteered for the army at age 15 and saw combat during the Korean War. Xu was said to be a quiet soldier who enjoyed reading, but must have also excelled professionally. After a series of promotions, he eventually rose to the rank of major general in the People's Liberation Army. He became known to the world during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. As the leader of the elite 38th Group Army in charge of defending the Chinese capital, Xu was ordered to advance to Beijing. But he defied the order, refusing to suppress pro-democracy students with armed force. This was a rare case of insubordination by a high-ranking officer. Xu was arrested and sent to prison. He was not heard of at all until 2011, when a scoop by the now-defunct Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily brought Xu's presence back to the world. Asked about his past, Xu told his interviewer simply, 'It's all in the past. I have no regrets.' I wonder what was going on within the military at the time of Xu's insubordination. How was the decision made to use armed force against unarmed students? What effects did the political strife among the leadership have on the situation? I requested an interview with Xu through an acquaintance of mine. But I never received a reply. Xu died four years ago at age 85. June 4 marked the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, but even this fact cannot be mentioned in China today. Many questions remain unanswered. And I am still unable to discard my Xu file. —The Asahi Shimbun, June 5 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
