Nagasaki mayor addresses international criticism over ceremony invitations

By AJP Posted : August 28, 2024, 10:37 Updated : August 28, 2024, 10:37
Doves released during a ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki August 9 2024 Japan PoolKyodo News via AP - Yonhap
Doves are released during a ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Aug. 9, 2024. AP-Yonhap
SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - The city of Nagasaki in southwestern Japan has been inundated with roughly 1,500 messages of disapproval in English after choosing not to extend an invitation to Israel's ambassador for a recent event marking the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the city mayor said Tuesday.

Mayor Shiro Suzuki revealed during a media briefing that the vast majority of these communications - around 1,400 - were duplicate emails expressing opposition to the city's stance.

Addressing the backlash, Suzuki commented, "The reactions indicate we failed to make them understand that our decision was not political." He reiterated that Nagasaki opted against inviting Israeli representatives to the August 9 commemoration out of concern that potential demonstrations related to the Gaza conflict might compromise the event's solemn atmosphere.

Suzuki noted that the municipal office had also fielded over 2,000 domestic communications via telephone, email, and online platforms in Japanese, with the majority endorsing the city's position on the matter.

The controversy began on July 31 when Nagasaki announced its plans regarding the Israeli ambassador's invitation. This move prompted criticism from several nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom. As a result, diplomatic representatives from all Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized countries, except Japan, chose to abstain from attending the memorial ceremony in the historic port city.
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