TOKYO – On Aug 6, Hiroshima’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, marked the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city with a poignant speech, linking the historical tragedy to current global conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza that exacerbate global fear and distrust.
Speaking at the memorial event commemorating the 1945 US nuclear attack, which killed approximately 140,000 people, Mayor Matsui emphasized the detrimental impact of ongoing wars on international relations.
“Russia’s protracted invasion of Ukraine and the worsening situation between Israel and Palestine are claiming the lives of countless innocent people and shattering normal life,” he stated. “These global tragedies are deepening distrust and fear among nations, reinforcing the public assumption that to solve international problems we have to rely on military force, which we should be rejecting.”
Following the Hiroshima attack, a second US nuclear bomb struck Nagasaki, resulting in around 74,000 deaths and leading to the end of World War II. Japan remains the only country to have been targeted with atomic weapons during wartime. During the Aug 6 ceremony, dignitaries, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, paid their respects by laying wreaths at the memorial cenotaph inscribed with “rest in peace.”
Hiroshima, now a bustling city of 1.2 million people, retains the ruins of a domed building as a stark reminder of the bombing’s devastation. This year’s ceremony was notably the third consecutive one where Russia and Belarus were not invited due to the Ukraine conflict. Additionally, it marked the first peace memorial since Israel’s 2023 military offensive in Gaza, prompted by an attack from the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
While the Israeli ambassador attended the ceremony, the absence of a Palestinian representative sparked controversy. “That an invitation wasn’t extended to Palestine is shocking,” stated the Permanent General Mission of Palestine to Japan on social media platform X in July.
Hiroshima’s officials have advocated for a ceasefire and dialogue resolution in their communications with Israel. However, the Israeli ambassador will not attend the Nagasaki peace ceremony in 2024, a decision Nagasaki officials attribute to logistical concerns rather than political motivations.