Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko said in a press conference on Thursday that the Japanese government does not interfere with the invitations sent by Hiroshima and Nagasaki for commemoration ceremonies of the two cities being subjected to nuclear bombing.

The minister was responding to a question from Arab News Japan about whether the government is concerned about the G7 countries’ ambassadors decision to refuse attendance.

Ambassadors of the United States and other G7 countries decided to boycott the ceremony in protest of the decision by the city not to invite Israel.

“The peace memorial ceremonies are hosted by the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, and we in the government are not in a position to make any comments on the invitations and attendance.. But, in general, next year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the two cities. The average age of the victims who survived the atomic bombing will exceed 85 years,” Kamikawa said.

“Therefore, the fact that this atomic bombing took place must be remembered and passed down through the generations, as we continue our quest for peace, and this is something that we must prioritize so that no other country is subjected to atomic bombing. We want to transmit this accurate understanding of the reality of the atomic bombing across generations and across national borders.”