Nagasaki to invite envoys from Russia, Belarus and Israel to peace ceremony

Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki announced plans to invite top Russian, Belarusian, and Israeli envoys to this year's 80th-anniversary peace ceremony, marking Japan's atomic bombing. Despite not having done so since 2022 due to geopolitical tensions in Russia and Israel, Suzuki emphasized the importance of uniting nations for a shared cause of peace. "We judged the risks comprehensively," he said, while also highlighting the city's intention to showcase the brutal consequences of nuclear weapons through the ceremony. Meanwhile, Hiroshima will shift its approach starting next month, inviting those countries to attend its annual event for the first time since 1945.