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.
Nagasaki’s Mayor Shiro Suzuki explicitly disinvited Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen, citing security concerns.