Record 115 nations to attend Peace Memorial Ceremony, with Israel expected to participate, Hiroshima City government says
Jul. 9, 2024
by Keiichi Nobira, Staff Writer
On July 8, the Hiroshima City government announced the outline of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony to be held at the Peace Memorial Park (in the city’s Naka Ward) on August 6, the day of the atomic bombing. Representatives from a record 115 nations and the European Union (EU), including Israel, which continues to attack the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, plan to attend the ceremony this year.
The city sent an invitation to 166 nations. As of July 8, the number of countries planning to attend the ceremony has surpassed last year's numbers—at the time the highest on record thanks to the summit meeting of the G7 (Group of Seven industrialized nations) that was held in the city—by four. Iceland will participate in the ceremony for the first time. A city official said, “With all the wars and conflicts going on in the world, people may have paid attention to the reality of the atomic bombing and the wishes of the A-bombed city, in addition to the G7 Hiroshima Summit.”
Of the nine nuclear powers, the United Kingdom, France and India will attend. The United States is still adjusting its schedule, and China, North Korea and Pakistan have not yet responded. The city did not invite Russia, which continues to attack Ukraine, nor Belarus, a country supportive of Russia’s invasion. Ukraine has not yet responded.
There will be 32 representatives of the A-bomb victims’ families, one from each prefecture, two more than last year. Their average age is 70.1, with the oldest being 92 and the youngest, 53.
The ceremony is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and last 50 minutes. Michio Moriwaki, 42, representative of the bereaved families and a salaried employee who lives in Naka Ward, along with the children’s representative, Nanako Uemoto, 11, a sixth-grader at Hijiyama Elementary School in Minami Ward, will toll the Peace Bell. The Commitment to Peace will be delivered by Akira Kato, 12, a sixth-grader at Gion Elementary School in Asaminami Ward, and Yuto Ishimaru, 12, a sixth-grader at Yahatahigashi Elementary School in Saeki Ward.
Tents will be set up to provide shade from the summer sun for approximately 7,000 seats (about the same as last year) and for the first time, along the approach to the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims.
Last year, an incident occurred prior to the ceremony when a group of demonstrators physically assaulted city officials near the A-bomb Dome. This year, access to the entire park, including the area around the A-bomb Dome, will be restricted from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m. Entrances will be set up at 6:30 a.m., at which time baggage checks will begin in order to prevent loudspeakers or placards from being brought into the park area. Meanwhile, the city government will set up a special route without baggage inspections from the Motoyasu River side of the park for people paying visit to the Cenotaph between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
Citizens and A-bomb survivors oppose Israel’s participation in the August 6 ceremony
Dissatisfaction among the citizens and atomic bomb survivors, who opposed Hiroshima City government’s decision to invite Israel, which has been attacking the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, has grown after learning of the intention of a representative of the Israeli government to attend.
From Israel, Gilad Cohen, Israeli ambassador to Japan, plans to attend the ceremony. Aoe Tanami, a member of the citizen’s organization, “Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community,” argued, “(The representative) will act as if genocide never happened. The city’s decision to invite the country is wrong.”
Toshiyuki Mimaki, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo) thinks the city should by rights invite all countries. However, he had proposed the city not invite Israel if Russia—which continues to attack Ukraine—and Belarus would be excluded from the invitation list as “exceptions.” “I can’t help feeling very sorry, seeing how the children in the war zone are doing. It is not right to invite a country waging such war to the ceremony,” Mr. Mimaki said.
Kunihiko Sakuma, chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, said angrily, “This is a double standard. People would be left with the misunderstanding that the city is accepting Israel’s behavior.”
Meanwhile, Mamiko Nakatani, deputy director of the city’s Citizens Affairs Bureau, emphasized the importance of inviting Israel at a news conference in the city hall, saying, “We hope the country touches on the message of the atomic bomb survivors and uses the opportunity to take a step forward in realizing world peace, including the abolition of nuclear weapons, at times like these.” As for the decision not to invite Russia and Belarus, she maintained the conventional view that “(their presence) might affect the smooth running of the ceremony.”
(Originally published on July 9, 2024)
On July 8, the Hiroshima City government announced the outline of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony to be held at the Peace Memorial Park (in the city’s Naka Ward) on August 6, the day of the atomic bombing. Representatives from a record 115 nations and the European Union (EU), including Israel, which continues to attack the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, plan to attend the ceremony this year.
The city sent an invitation to 166 nations. As of July 8, the number of countries planning to attend the ceremony has surpassed last year's numbers—at the time the highest on record thanks to the summit meeting of the G7 (Group of Seven industrialized nations) that was held in the city—by four. Iceland will participate in the ceremony for the first time. A city official said, “With all the wars and conflicts going on in the world, people may have paid attention to the reality of the atomic bombing and the wishes of the A-bombed city, in addition to the G7 Hiroshima Summit.”
Of the nine nuclear powers, the United Kingdom, France and India will attend. The United States is still adjusting its schedule, and China, North Korea and Pakistan have not yet responded. The city did not invite Russia, which continues to attack Ukraine, nor Belarus, a country supportive of Russia’s invasion. Ukraine has not yet responded.
There will be 32 representatives of the A-bomb victims’ families, one from each prefecture, two more than last year. Their average age is 70.1, with the oldest being 92 and the youngest, 53.
The ceremony is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. and last 50 minutes. Michio Moriwaki, 42, representative of the bereaved families and a salaried employee who lives in Naka Ward, along with the children’s representative, Nanako Uemoto, 11, a sixth-grader at Hijiyama Elementary School in Minami Ward, will toll the Peace Bell. The Commitment to Peace will be delivered by Akira Kato, 12, a sixth-grader at Gion Elementary School in Asaminami Ward, and Yuto Ishimaru, 12, a sixth-grader at Yahatahigashi Elementary School in Saeki Ward.
Tents will be set up to provide shade from the summer sun for approximately 7,000 seats (about the same as last year) and for the first time, along the approach to the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims.
Last year, an incident occurred prior to the ceremony when a group of demonstrators physically assaulted city officials near the A-bomb Dome. This year, access to the entire park, including the area around the A-bomb Dome, will be restricted from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m. Entrances will be set up at 6:30 a.m., at which time baggage checks will begin in order to prevent loudspeakers or placards from being brought into the park area. Meanwhile, the city government will set up a special route without baggage inspections from the Motoyasu River side of the park for people paying visit to the Cenotaph between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
Citizens and A-bomb survivors oppose Israel’s participation in the August 6 ceremony
Dissatisfaction among the citizens and atomic bomb survivors, who opposed Hiroshima City government’s decision to invite Israel, which has been attacking the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip, has grown after learning of the intention of a representative of the Israeli government to attend.
From Israel, Gilad Cohen, Israeli ambassador to Japan, plans to attend the ceremony. Aoe Tanami, a member of the citizen’s organization, “Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community,” argued, “(The representative) will act as if genocide never happened. The city’s decision to invite the country is wrong.”
Toshiyuki Mimaki, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo) thinks the city should by rights invite all countries. However, he had proposed the city not invite Israel if Russia—which continues to attack Ukraine—and Belarus would be excluded from the invitation list as “exceptions.” “I can’t help feeling very sorry, seeing how the children in the war zone are doing. It is not right to invite a country waging such war to the ceremony,” Mr. Mimaki said.
Kunihiko Sakuma, chair of the other Hiroshima Hidankyo, said angrily, “This is a double standard. People would be left with the misunderstanding that the city is accepting Israel’s behavior.”
Meanwhile, Mamiko Nakatani, deputy director of the city’s Citizens Affairs Bureau, emphasized the importance of inviting Israel at a news conference in the city hall, saying, “We hope the country touches on the message of the atomic bomb survivors and uses the opportunity to take a step forward in realizing world peace, including the abolition of nuclear weapons, at times like these.” As for the decision not to invite Russia and Belarus, she maintained the conventional view that “(their presence) might affect the smooth running of the ceremony.”
(Originally published on July 9, 2024)
