Arab News Japan

TOKYO: A protest organized by a group calling itself the “Citizens for Equal Japan-U.S. Relations” was held on Friday outside the US Embassy in Tokyo. The protesters called for the immediate resignation and departure of United States Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel for his “insensitivity over the Nagasaki Peace Memorial and interfering in Japanese affairs.”

The group issued a letter that was distributed at the protest site, branding Ambassador Emanuel as being “the representative of an aggressor nation responsible for the atomic bombings,” and saying that being absent from the Nagasaki ceremony over political disagreements was “profoundly offensive to the Japanese people who wish to honor the victims and foster peace.”

The protest letter was a unified voice, signed by FUKUSHIMA Nobuyuki, a member of the House of Representatives (the Volunteer Association), TANUMA Takashi and ORIMOTO Tatsunori, both members of the Chiba Prefectural Assembly, and ten local councilors along with nearly 20 scholars and opinion leaders, including YAMASHITA Eiji. Professor Emeritus of Osaka City University. 

The protesters explained that Emanuel’s absence from the Peace Memorial was allegedly due to Nagasaki’s decision not to invite the Israeli ambassador, a decision made in response to Israel’s genocide committed against the Palestinians in Gaza. They argued that this was an unacceptable reason for the US Ambassador to be absent from such an important event.

The letter accused Israel of “an indiscriminate campaign of mass killing against civilians in Gaza ” and drew parallels with the “genocide” of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the only cities in the world to be attacked by atomic weapons.

The protestors also criticized Emanuel for allegedly exerting influence on the Japanese government to introduce the so-called LGBTQ rights and approve same-sex marriage. They argued that this was an overt interference in Japanese internal affairs and a dismissal of traditional Japanese culture, which they believe has led to significant discontent among the Japanese people.

“Your absence from this year’s Peace Memorial Ceremony, your intervention concerning the LGBT bill last year, and your public political activities and demonstrations in defiance of our cultural norms are well beyond the expected bounds of a diplomatic representative and call into question your qualifications as an ambassador.”

“Ambassador Emanuel, your actions endanger the very foundation of U.S.-Japan friendship! We can no longer tolerate your presence as the US Ambassador to Japan. Your arrogance and disrespect have demonstrated that you are unfit to represent the United States in our country,” said the letter that the group wanted to deliver to the Embassy.

The statement urged the US government to refrain from appointing future ambassadors to Japan “who are similarly unqualified.” emphasizing the need for competent representation,

The protest statement also demanded an end to privileges enjoyed by US military forces in Japan, emphasizing the need for the return of the massive Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo – where President Joe Biden landed on a visit to Japan “disregarding the Japanese sovereignty” – and “to renounce the vestiges of the occupation era.”

The demonstrators displayed banners with messages such as “Ambassador Emanuel, stop intervening in Japan’s domestic affairs,” “Ambassador Emanuel, resign and go back home immediately,” “Equal Japan-US relations,” and “Let’s achieve true Japanese independence.”