Hiroshima City changes from invitation to notification, hoping more would attend the peace ceremony by returning to its origins while trying to avoid political issues
Apr. 12, 2025
by Koji Higuchi and Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writers
The change by the Hiroshima City government from an “invitation” to a “notification” of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony to the government representatives will provide an environment that enables more countries and regions to participate. Last year, the city’s decision to invite Israel but not Russia to the peace ceremony caused wide repercussions, with many criticizing it as “double standards.” Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui emphasized the review was to return to the origins of the ceremony. The city also wants to avoid making the ceremony a political issue.
“I said that the invitation process would be reviewed because we could not gain people’s understanding. So, we fulfilled our promise.” At a press conference on April 11 to announce the change in notification for the peace ceremony, Mayor Matsui said so with a trace of anger. In his mind was the criticism of “double standards,” which he mentioned three times.
The basic stance of the city is to widely invite government representatives to share thoughts of abolishing nuclear weapons and renouncing war. Last year, however, the city invited Israel but not Russia and Belarus, citing concerns their presence could disrupt the smooth running of the ceremony regardless of whether they were parties to the conflict. This explanation did not satisfy atomic bomb survivors and citizens.
Even the two A-bombed cities took different attitudes toward this issue. The ambassadors of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations to Japan, excluding Japan, were absent from the peace ceremony held by the city of Nagasaki in opposition to its decision not to invite Israel. The situation strongly reflected the “divided” world. Amid the talks about whether it was right or wrong to invite the parties to the conflict, “The mayor was worried that the focus had shifted away from the ceremony’s primary purpose of mourning the victims of the atomic bombing,” one of the senior city hall officials revealed.
In the end, the city reached the conclusion that it would send a “notification” about the peace ceremony instead of inviting the ambassadors to Japan by name, letting each country decide whether or not to attend. Mayor Matsui said: “I thought we would go back to the origins of the ceremony.”
A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official responded favorably to the city’s judgment, saying: “The horror of the atomic bombing could be communicated to many countries this way.” On the other hand, some of the citizens’ groups said: “An invitation would better convey straightforwardly the stance of the city, which sends out a message of peace.”
The city plans to send the notification to each country in late May once the details of the expression have been worked out. The focus is on whether the parties to the conflict will attend the ceremony. In an interview with the Chugoku Shimbun, the Russian Embassy in Japan declined to comment at this time, stating that they “have not yet received official information from the Hiroshima City government.”
by Hajime Niiyama, Staff Writer
On April 11, the Hiroshima City government announced its policy to send letters to all countries and regions with which Japan has diplomatic channels, including Russia and Palestine, to inform them about this year’s Peace Memorial Ceremony. The policy was met with some recognition by A-bomb survivor organizations. A citizens’ group urged the city to protest Israel’s ongoing invasion of the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip.
Last year, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 83, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo), requested the city not invite Israel unless it also invited Russia and Belarus. Regarding the city’s new policy, Mr. Mimaki said: “It is a good idea to welcome everyone impartially. I hope nations engaged in war and nuclear weapon states will attend responsibly and learn about the true consequences of the atomic bombing.” He hopes many will actively participate in the ceremony.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 80, chair of another Hiroshima Hidankyo, responded to the city’s decision, saying: “It is good the double standard has been resolved.” However, he added: “I want the city to say what needs to be said, such as protesting Israel.” Miho Tanaka, 30, co-chair of “Kakuwaka,” a citizens’ group of young voters in Hiroshima interested in knowing about nuclear policies, points out: “We need an in-depth message from the city stating that it will not allow innocent civilians to be killed.”
Aoe Tanami, an associate professor at Hiroshima University and a member of the citizens’ organization “Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community,” which protests attacks on Gaza, said: “Leaving it to each country to decide whether or not to participate would be a major change to the way the ceremony is conducted. I would like to carefully review the reasons and objectives.”
(Originally published on April 12, 2025)
The change by the Hiroshima City government from an “invitation” to a “notification” of the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony to the government representatives will provide an environment that enables more countries and regions to participate. Last year, the city’s decision to invite Israel but not Russia to the peace ceremony caused wide repercussions, with many criticizing it as “double standards.” Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui emphasized the review was to return to the origins of the ceremony. The city also wants to avoid making the ceremony a political issue.
“I said that the invitation process would be reviewed because we could not gain people’s understanding. So, we fulfilled our promise.” At a press conference on April 11 to announce the change in notification for the peace ceremony, Mayor Matsui said so with a trace of anger. In his mind was the criticism of “double standards,” which he mentioned three times.
The basic stance of the city is to widely invite government representatives to share thoughts of abolishing nuclear weapons and renouncing war. Last year, however, the city invited Israel but not Russia and Belarus, citing concerns their presence could disrupt the smooth running of the ceremony regardless of whether they were parties to the conflict. This explanation did not satisfy atomic bomb survivors and citizens.
Even the two A-bombed cities took different attitudes toward this issue. The ambassadors of the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations to Japan, excluding Japan, were absent from the peace ceremony held by the city of Nagasaki in opposition to its decision not to invite Israel. The situation strongly reflected the “divided” world. Amid the talks about whether it was right or wrong to invite the parties to the conflict, “The mayor was worried that the focus had shifted away from the ceremony’s primary purpose of mourning the victims of the atomic bombing,” one of the senior city hall officials revealed.
In the end, the city reached the conclusion that it would send a “notification” about the peace ceremony instead of inviting the ambassadors to Japan by name, letting each country decide whether or not to attend. Mayor Matsui said: “I thought we would go back to the origins of the ceremony.”
A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official responded favorably to the city’s judgment, saying: “The horror of the atomic bombing could be communicated to many countries this way.” On the other hand, some of the citizens’ groups said: “An invitation would better convey straightforwardly the stance of the city, which sends out a message of peace.”
The city plans to send the notification to each country in late May once the details of the expression have been worked out. The focus is on whether the parties to the conflict will attend the ceremony. In an interview with the Chugoku Shimbun, the Russian Embassy in Japan declined to comment at this time, stating that they “have not yet received official information from the Hiroshima City government.”
The Hiroshima City government’s policy change receives recognition and requests from A-bomb survivor organizations and citizens’ groups
by Hajime Niiyama, Staff Writer
On April 11, the Hiroshima City government announced its policy to send letters to all countries and regions with which Japan has diplomatic channels, including Russia and Palestine, to inform them about this year’s Peace Memorial Ceremony. The policy was met with some recognition by A-bomb survivor organizations. A citizens’ group urged the city to protest Israel’s ongoing invasion of the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip.
Last year, Toshiyuki Mimaki, 83, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hiroshima Hidankyo), requested the city not invite Israel unless it also invited Russia and Belarus. Regarding the city’s new policy, Mr. Mimaki said: “It is a good idea to welcome everyone impartially. I hope nations engaged in war and nuclear weapon states will attend responsibly and learn about the true consequences of the atomic bombing.” He hopes many will actively participate in the ceremony.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 80, chair of another Hiroshima Hidankyo, responded to the city’s decision, saying: “It is good the double standard has been resolved.” However, he added: “I want the city to say what needs to be said, such as protesting Israel.” Miho Tanaka, 30, co-chair of “Kakuwaka,” a citizens’ group of young voters in Hiroshima interested in knowing about nuclear policies, points out: “We need an in-depth message from the city stating that it will not allow innocent civilians to be killed.”
Aoe Tanami, an associate professor at Hiroshima University and a member of the citizens’ organization “Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community,” which protests attacks on Gaza, said: “Leaving it to each country to decide whether or not to participate would be a major change to the way the ceremony is conducted. I would like to carefully review the reasons and objectives.”
(Originally published on April 12, 2025)
