**TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel will not attend this year's atomic bombing memorial service in Nagasaki, citing the exclusion of Israel as the reason, the embassy announced.
Emanuel’s absence is due to the “politicization” of the event after Nagasaki chose not to invite Israel, the embassy stated. Instead, Emanuel will pay tribute to the victims of the Nagasaki bombing at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 resulted in the deaths of over 210,000 people and led to Japan's surrender, ending World War II. The memorial service in Nagasaki on August 9 is an important day of remembrance for the city.
Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki defended his decision not to invite Israel, citing concerns over potential disruptions due to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. Suzuki emphasized that the decision was made to maintain a “peaceful and solemn atmosphere” and was not politically motivated.
Despite the U.S. and five other Group of Seven countries, along with the European Union, opting to send lower-ranked officials instead of ambassadors, Suzuki remained firm on his decision. “We want to honor the victims without any disturbance,” he said, expressing hope that ambassadors would return in the future.
In contrast, Hiroshima invited the Israeli ambassador to its memorial ceremony, which saw attendance from 50,000 people, including Emanuel. Palestinian representatives were not invited to Hiroshima’s event.
A U.S. Consulate official from Fukuoka will represent the U.S. at the Nagasaki ceremony. Diplomats from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., and the EU expressed concern over Israel's exclusion, urging Nagasaki to reconsider its decision to maintain the universal message of the memorial.
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