U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will not be attending this year's atomic bombing memorial service in Nagasaki due to Israel not being invited, as confirmed by the embassy on Wednesday. The decision was made because the event was deemed 'politicized' by Nagasaki's exclusion of Israel from the guest list. Instead, Emanuel will pay his respects to the victims of the Nagasaki atomic bombing at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 resulted in the deaths of 140,000 and 70,000 people, respectively. These tragic events marked the end of World War II and Japan's aggressive actions in Asia.
Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki cited concerns over potential disruptions, such as protests or attacks, in the Middle East conflict as the reason for not inviting Israel to the ceremony. In contrast, Hiroshima extended an invitation to the Israeli ambassador, with Palestinian representatives not included.
The U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka will be represented at the Nagasaki ceremony, with other Group of Seven nations and the European Union sending lower-ranking envoys. These nations expressed their shared concern over Israel's exclusion, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a universal message at the memorial event.
The envoys urged Nagasaki to reconsider its decision and invite Israel to ensure the participation of high-level representatives. British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom, who attended the Hiroshima memorial, expressed her intention to skip the Nagasaki ceremony in response to the exclusion of Israel, fearing it could convey a misleading message.
