Controversy over the Nagasaki Memorial
According to Kyodo News, Nagasaki Mayor Suzuki Shirō, assessed the reactions to Israel not being invited to the August 9th commemoration ceremony at a press conference. Suzuki stated that they received more than 2,000 messages of support, Japanese e-mails and phone calls regarding this decision. He also stated that during this process, they received approximately 1,400 English e-mails criticizing the decision and containing the “same text”.
The fact that Israel was not invited to the commemoration ceremony held on the anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki caused a great public outcry. Mayor Suzuki emphasized that the decision was made due to concerns that the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza and public protests against the Israeli attacks could negatively affect the holding of the commemoration ceremony.
The ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United States and the European Union did not attend the ceremony, as Israel was not invited to the ceremony. However, these countries were represented by non-senior diplomats.
The Atomic Bomb and Its Historical Effects
The US dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, destroying 90 percent of the city and causing the immediate death of 80,000 people. Three days later, on August 9, the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed at least 40,000 people there instantly. It is estimated that approximately 110,000 people, the vast majority of whom were civilians, lost their lives as a result of the long-term effects of the atomic bomb.
It is stated that deaths continued in the region in the following months and years due to radiation-related illnesses. These tragic events point to one of the darkest periods in human history.
