Japan’s atom-bombed cities rebuke Israel from ‘moral high ground’

But this year, the city’s mayor is withholding the invitation, in a move analysts say carries symbolic weight that reflects Nagasaki’s “moral high ground” as a site of nuclear devastation, as well as the increasingly negative views of Israel held by the Japanese public.

“Given the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza, and public opinion in the international community, there are concerns about the risk of unexpected incidents during the ceremony,” Suzuki said on Monday.

Hiroshima’s government has invited Israeli ambassador Gilad Cohen to its memorial ceremonies, but included a separate letter to the ambassador and Israeli President Isaac Herzog calling for a ceasefire.

The Japanese government has echoed other nations’ calls for restraint, respect for life and peace negotiations, but analysts say its approach has been relatively muted as it does not want to offend either Israel or the Arab world. Japanese media, however, has been largely anti-Israeli and that has influenced public opinion.

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“Japan has tried to adopt a neutral position because it needs to preserve good relations with both sides,” said Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor of politics and international relations at Tokyo’s Waseda University.

“Tokyo is under pressure from the US to express support for Israel but, at the same time, it remembers the ‘oil shock’ of the 1970s and feels it needs to preserve good relations with Arab states. That is a very difficult balance to get right.”

Most Japanese citizen has limited understanding of the Middle East’s geopolitical dynamics, Shigemura said, largely because of the geographic distance and the lack of direct impact on their