The solemn ceremony, held every August 15 in Tokyo in the presence of the imperial couple to commemorate "the day the war [in the Pacific] came to an end" – "surrender" and "capitulation" are words discreetly left out –, took on a particular character this year.

Held in the martial arts pavilion in the center of the Japanese capital, it took place a few days after the G7 and European Union (EU) member countries decided not to send their ambassadors to the commemoration of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The diplomats were protesting against the refusal of the martyr city's mayor, Shiro Suzuki, to invite Israel's representative to the event, as Gaza has been subjected to constant shelling for over 10 months. Only the minister-counselor at the French Embassy in Tokyo, Nicolas Thiriet, was present to "pay tribute to the victims of the bomb."

This diplomatic incident, which highlights the complex interplay between remembrance, diplomacy and international power relations, casts a shadow over the universal nature of the call for peace that Japan attaches to the August 15 ceremony. As in previous years, Emperor Naruhito is expected to express "deep remorse" for the war waged by his country, while pledging that "the ravages of war will never be repeated" and that he would "work for peace."

The reaction of Japan's allies has provoked disappointment tinged with anger as, once again, Tokyo feels misunderstood. These feelings are echoed in the generally cautious editorials of the country's two biggest dailies, Yomiuri and Asahi.

"While one cannot equate Russia, an aggressor country, with Israel, which is exercising a legitimate right to defend itself, the Palestinian death toll [nearly 40,000] goes beyond the simple right to defend oneself," wrote Yomiuri. "It's not surprising that the people of Nagasaki are outraged by Israel's inhumane actions."

Asahi believes that "the G7's reaction highlights the difficulty of communicating this message," pointing out that "the decision by Western countries not to send representatives to Nagasaki undermines years of efforts to create a universal commitment to peace." The center-left daily wrote of disappointment that "the response [of the West] to Israel's ruthless military actions seems devoid of any humanitarian concern: by refusing to attend the ceremony in Nagasaki, the US and its allies have demonstrated a policy of double standards," while "Hiroshima and Nagasaki are fighting to make atomic disarmament a universal value."

You have 52.83% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.