August 7, 2024
This piece originally appeared in The Japan Times.
This Friday, Nagasaki will commemorate the 79th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bomb over that city in 1945. An estimated 40,000 people were killed instantly, with tens of thousands more dying in the ensuing years from their injuries and radiation poisoning.
The commemorative event, in support of peace and deterrence of nuclear armament, has in the past been apolitical, with representatives from across the world invited to participate. This year is different.
The mayor claims his decision is not based “on political considerations, but rather on our desire to hold the ceremony to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombings in a peaceful and solemn atmosphere and to ensure that the ceremony goes smoothly.”
Israel’s exclusion is, in fact, a political decision — and a poor one at that. It sends the absolute wrong message to the perpetrators and supporters of the most heinous crimes, to the deliberate targeting and slaughter and rape of innocent civilians, to terrorist actors and terrorist states.
To suggest that the Japanese police cannot provide sufficient security for the event and control whatever demonstrations may occur is impossible to believe and the mayor knows it.
The irony of this decision is apparent when one sees the list of who was invited to the event. Among them are representatives of nations with recognized gross human rights violations and long records of oppressing their citizens, like Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, China, Myanmar and Afghanistan.
Most galling is that while Israel is excluded, the Iranian ambassador is welcome, despite his nation being labeled the primary sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East by the U.S. and its allies. It is Iran that uses its proxies — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and the Houthis in Yemen — to launch attacks against Israel. Yet, it is Iran, despite its devotion to sowing unrest and not Israel, that is invited to a ceremony devoted to peace.
Mayor Suzuki has apparently forgotten or ignored the fact that Iran is accelerating its drive to develop nuclear weapon capabilities, as documented by the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency and numerous reports by intelligence agencies. It is beyond the pale for Iran to be present at a ceremony to mark the aftermath of when the world’s deadliest weapon of mass destruction was deployed when it seeks to acquire that power for itself.
I have some questions for Mayor Suzuki that could perhaps shed light on how he reached this horribly misguided decision.
What does he think about the horrific attacks in southern Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7 that left 1,200 men, women and children dead, thousands more wounded and some 250 taken hostage?
How does he feel about Hamas, whose terrorists use innocent civilians in Gaza as human shields and use hospitals, schools and apartments to launch attacks? Does he believe Hamas regards the people of Gaza as pawns in service to furthering a warped ideology that calls for the destruction of Israel and annihilation of the world’s Jews?
What about Hezbollah, whose missile attacks from Lebanon have displaced 60,000 Israelis? Does he mourn for the 12 Israeli Druze children and teens killed on July 27 when a Hezbollah rocket hit the soccer field they were playing on?
These are questions that certainly merit answers. After all, it was Hamas that broke a cease-fire on Oct. 7. It was Hezbollah that has fired rockets into Israel almost daily since then. Yet, it is Israel who Mayor Suzuki has deemed unworthy to join in a ceremony devoted to peace.
We can take some comfort in knowing that Suzuki’s decision stands in stark contrast to the government of Japan’s statements in support of Israel’s right and obligation to defend its people in the face of Hamas’ onslaught.
We are left with a mayor defending the indefensible. The ceremony should be a time to send an unequivocal message of peace on such a significant date. But by excluding Israel, Suzuki has done the opposite and sullied this solemn occasion.
