News

by Yuichi Yamasaki and Keiichi Nobira, Staff Writers

The Hiroshima Prefectural Police Department is stepping up its vigilance around Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is held on August 6. This year, entry into the entire park will be restricted. As former U.S. President Donald Trump was shot outdoors in July, the police have been carefully checking high places in the vicinity of the park to ensure the safety of dignitaries attending the ceremony. The city government is making effort to disseminate information about the restrictions to avoid confusion.

The prefectural police deploy a large number of police officers around the ceremony venue every year. Following the assassination attempt in which Mr. Trump was targeted from the roof of a building while he was giving a speech, the National Police Agency notified local police departments on July 14 that they must take thorough measures to ensure the safety of dignitaries. According to the prefectural police security division, the risk is higher outdoors, and careful countermeasures should be taken. Based on the notification, the prefectural police are checking condominiums and buildings around the park, from where the venue can be seen, to analyze and examine whether they are dangerous or not.

On the day of the ceremony, they will keep an eye on the rooftops of high-rise buildings, as they did for the past annual ceremonies and the G7 Summit held last May.

During last year’s ceremony, some protesters allegedly threw themselves against city employees near the A-bomb Dome. The city has restricted entry to the area around the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims in the past, but this year, the restricted entry area will be expanded to the entire park, including the vicinity of the A-bomb Dome, from 5 to 9 a.m. to “step up security measures.” Visitors will be asked to move out of the park from 5 a.m. Six entrances will be opened at 6:30 a.m., where visitors’ bags will be inspected. In addition, metal detectors will be used near the seats of the attendees.

During the hours of restricted entry, it is prohibited to bring in such items as loudspeakers, placards, banners, fliers and helmets. The city government may refuse entry or order visitors to leave the park if they do not comply. With the expansion of the restricted entry area, the city will increase the number of security guards it will entrust from around 100 last year, to about 300 this year.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other dignitaries from overseas are expected to attend the ceremony. The City of Hiroshima has put up posters at 145 locations, including City Hall, JR Hiroshima Station in the city’s Minami Ward, and the Hiroshima Bus Center in the city’s Naka Ward, indicating the hours of restricted entry, locations of the entrances, and a request for cooperation in baggage inspections. Signs were also placed near the entrances to the event.

The city’s Citizen Activities Promotion Division is asking for cooperation, saying, “We understand the inconvenience caused by the expansion of the restricted area, but we would like to ask for your cooperation in ensuring smooth entry to the park before the ceremony begins.” The Prefectural Police Security Division stated, “We will take all possible measures in cooperation with the city based on measures taken at the time of summit.”

(Originally published on August 2, 2024)