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by Koji Higuchi, Staff Writer

The Hiroshima city government will not send invitations, but notifications, to government representatives from other countries with regard to the peace memorial ceremony to be held on August 6 this year, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city, Mayor Kazumi Matsui announced on April 11. Notifications will be sent to 195 countries and regions that have diplomatic relations with Japan, including Russia, which the city did not invite for the last three years, and the Palestinian Authority, which Japan does not recognize as a state. Decision to attend or not will be left to the free will of each country and region.

At a press conference, Mayor Matsui stressed the ceremony is an occasion to express hope for the coexistence and prosperity of humanity, overcoming hatred. “We hope countries and regions will understand the spirit of Hiroshima and consider participating of their own initiative. We will send notifications, but leave the decision to the judgment of each country and region,” he said. Notification letters will be sent in late May. Taiwan, which does not have formal diplomatic relations with Japan, is not included.

The city began sending invitations to the leaders of nuclear powers in 1998, when India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests. In 2006, it began sending invitations to all ambassadors of the countries that have embassies in Japan. In 2024, invitations were sent to 166 countries, and representatives from 109 countries and the European Union attended.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the city has not invited Russia and its ally Belarus since 2022, citing concerns that their presence could “affect a smooth ceremony.” In 2024, while Israel was invited despite ongoing fighting in the Palestinian autonomous region of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority was not invited as Palestine is not recognized by Japan as a state, drawing criticism from atomic bomb survivors and civic groups for “double standards.”

Mayor Matsui announced last July he would review the criteria for inviting guests to the ceremony and had been discussing the matter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the City of Nagasaki, which also suffered an atomic bombing.

Keywords

Hiroshima City Peace Memorial Ceremony
Held annually on August 6 at Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward, the ceremony aims to console the spirits of A-bomb victims and pray for world peace. It started as the Peace Festival on August 6, 1947, and has been held every year since then, except for 1950, when it was canceled because of the Korean War.

(Originally published on April 12, 2025)