Latest news with #ShiroSuzuki
15-07-2025
- Politics
Record 107 Countries, Regions to Attend Nagasaki Peace Ceremony
News from Japan Society Jul 15, 2025 20:03 (JST) Nagasaki, July 15 (Jiji Press)--A total of 107 countries and regions, as well as the European Union, are expected to attend the Aug. 9 peace memorial ceremony of Nagasaki, Shiro Suzuki, mayor of the southwestern Japan city, said Tuesday. The number of attending countries and regions is set to exceed the record high of 100, set last year. "I think Nagasaki's wishes have gotten across," Suzuki said. "We are making preparations to share our hope for lasting world peace and sympathy for the victims of the (1945) atomic bombing with people from around the world." In early June, the city mailed or directly delivered invitations to diplomatic missions of countries and regions that have diplomatic relations with Japan. In late June, it sent notices of the ceremony to 38 others with permanent missions to the United Nations. Taiwan was not subject to the invitation or notice, but has expressed its hope to attend the ceremony. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
All eyes on Beijing as Taiwan set to attend Japan's atomic bomb memorials for first time
Taiwan is set to join Japan's memorial ceremonies next month for the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, marking the island's first-ever participation in the annual events. Advertisement Observers said Beijing was likely to take a dim view of the matter, though the scale of its response might depend on the rank of the Taiwanese attendees. Nagasaki mayor Shiro Suzuki said on Saturday that the city had accepted Taiwan's request to attend its August 9 ceremony in memory of the victims of the 1945 US bombing, reversing a previous decision. The city, which triggered controversy last year for excluding Israel because of its actions in the Gaza Strip, has invited all countries and regions with diplomatic missions or UN representative offices in Japan to this year's event. 02:32 Atomic bomb survivors renew call for nuclear weapons ban after Nobel Peace Prize win Atomic bomb survivors renew call for nuclear weapons ban after Nobel Peace Prize win Japanese media reports said although Suzuki had asserted in May that Taiwan did not fall into either of those categories, the island's expression of desire to attend the August 9 ceremony had prompted the city to consider ways to accommodate its request.
Asahi Shimbun
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Taiwan to attend Nagasaki peace ceremony for the first time
The memorial ceremony to mark the 79th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki held at the city's Peace Park on Aug. 9, 2024 (Kengo Hiyoshi) NAGASAKI--Taiwan for the first time will attend Nagasaki's annual Peace Memorial Ceremony on Aug. 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of the city's atomic bombing. Mayor Shiro Suzuki told reporters on July 5 that Taiwan had expressed interest in taking part and that the city had responded affirmatively. Historically, Nagasaki has not invited Taiwan to the ceremony due to Japan's lack of formal diplomatic relations with the island. This year's anniversary of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki stands as a powerful symbol of the horrors of nuclear warfare. Officials here explained that formal invitations to the ceremony are typically based on the Foreign Ministry's list of diplomatic missions in Japan. But starting this year, even if a country does not have an embassy in Japan, the city will still send a less formal notification of the event. This applies if the country has representation at the United Nations, as is the case with North Korea, for example. Because Taiwan falls outside these categories, Nagasaki officials did not initially plan to invite the self-ruled island. However, the city reconsidered its policy after Taipei expressed disappointment. The decision reflects a broader trend this year of extending invitations to countries that had been excluded in recent years. This includes Russia, Belarus and Israel, which were previously left off the guest list due to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Hiroshima, which hosts its own peace ceremony on Aug. 6, similarly confirmed Taiwan's interest and sent an invitation back in May.
Japan Today
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Taiwan invited to Nagasaki atomic bomb anniversary event for 1st time
Nagasaki has accepted a request from Taiwan to attend this year's ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, the southwestern Japanese city said Saturday. If Taiwan attends, it will be the first time its representatives officially take part in the annual event held each August. Following last year's controversy over its decision not to invite Israel amid its war in the Gaza Strip, Nagasaki has decided this year to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan or representative offices at the United Nations. However, as Taiwan does "not fall into either category," the self-ruled island in May expressed disappointment that it would be excluded. In early June, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he is considering how to facilitate Taiwan's desire to attend the Aug. 9 ceremony. It was the first time that Taiwan, which has never been officially invited to the memorial event, has expressed a wish to attend, according to the Japanese city. Taiwan has no official diplomatic ties with Japan. Suzuki said Saturday he has told Taiwan that the "attendance is accepted." He did not disclose when the response was conveyed, nor how Taipei responded. Hiroshima, the Japanese city atomic bombed three days before Nagasaki, has this year switched from sending invitations to notifying all countries and regions that they are welcome to attend the Aug. 6 memorial ceremony. Taiwan was added to the notification list after the island expressed its intention to take part in the Hiroshima ceremony. The U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are estimated to have killed 214,000 people by the end of the year. They left scores of survivors grappling with long-term physical and mental health challenges. Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing, bringing an end to World War II. © KYODO
The Mainichi
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Taiwan invited to Nagasaki atomic bomb anniversary event for 1st time
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nagasaki has accepted a request from Taiwan to attend this year's ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, the southwestern Japanese city said Saturday. If Taiwan attends, it will be the first time its representatives officially take part in the annual event held each August. Following last year's controversy over its decision not to invite Israel amid its war in the Gaza Strip, Nagasaki has decided this year to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan or representative offices at the United Nations. However, as Taiwan does "not fall into either category," the self-ruled island in May expressed disappointment that it would be excluded. In early June, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he is considering how to facilitate Taiwan's desire to attend the Aug. 9 ceremony. It was the first time that Taiwan, which has never been officially invited to the memorial event, has expressed a wish to attend, according to the Japanese city. Taiwan has no official diplomatic ties with Japan. Suzuki said Saturday he has told Taiwan that the "attendance is accepted." He did not disclose when the response was conveyed, nor how Taipei responded. Hiroshima, the Japanese city atomic bombed three days before Nagasaki, has this year switched from sending invitations to notifying all countries and regions that they are welcome to attend the Aug. 6 memorial ceremony. Taiwan was added to the notification list after the island expressed its intention to take part in the Hiroshima ceremony. The U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are estimated to have killed 214,000 people by the end of the year. They left scores of survivors grappling with long-term physical and mental health challenges. Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing, bringing an end to World War II.
