TOKYO: Nagasaki’s mayor said on Thursday (Aug 8) it was “unfortunate” that the United States’ and United Kingdom’s ambassadors to Japan have refused to attend a ceremony marking the 1945 atomic bombing of the city because Israel was snubbed.
But he defended the decision not to invite Israel to Friday’s annual event, repeating that it was “not political” but to avoid possible protests related to the Gaza conflict.
“It is unfortunate that they have communicated to us that their ambassadors are not able to attend,” Shiro Suzuki told reporters.
“We made a comprehensive decision not for political reasons. We want to conduct a smooth ceremony in a peaceful and solemn environment.”
On Aug 9, 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing 74,000 people including many who survived the explosion but died later from radiation exposure.
This came three days after the first nuclear bomb on Hiroshima that killed 140,000 people. Japan announced its surrender in World War II on Aug 15, 1945.
