Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said at an August 25 press conference that he “takes seriously the fact that things have come to this” over Taiwan’s protest concerning its delegation’s seating at the city’s August 9 Peace Memorial Ceremony.
Taiwan’s Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan objected after the delegation was seated outside the diplomatic corps’ reserved area.
Suzuki reaffirmed that Taiwan is “an important partner with which we have built deep trust,” and said he intends to work to maintain that relationship of trust.
Handled Taiwan Exchange During MLIT Days
Li I-yang, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to Japan and representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, issued a statement on August 9 lodging a “strong protest,” saying the city had “deliberately placed the delegation’s seating outside the diplomatic corps area.”
Li did not attend the ceremony. In his place, the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka and two others attended.
Suzuki said exchanges between the city and the Taiwanese side were ongoing, but that he “would like to refrain from going into details.”
The mayor emphasized that Taiwan “is an important partner with which we share deep ties across a wide range of fields, including economy, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.”
He also noted that people from Taiwan were among those killed in the atomic bombing 81 years ago, and that the city runs a health consultation program for atomic bomb survivors living in Taiwan.
Suzuki added that he himself had been involved in promoting tourism exchange between Japan and Taiwan during his time at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
He also recalled his time at the Japan Coast Guard, where he had handled cooperation between the two sides’ maritime authorities to crack down on maritime crime.
Looking back, he said, “I was able to build relationships of trust and friendship with the people of Taiwan,” adding that “it is extremely important to develop these vital ties in economy, culture, and society in a sustainable, future-oriented way.”
China Absent for Second Straight Year
According to the city, as of August 24, it had received about 400 phone calls and around 250 emails regarding the seating issue, including opinions opposing the city’s handling of the matter.
A city official said, “We have had to take some measures, but the issue has not significantly affected operations.”
China has now skipped Nagasaki’s peace ceremony for a second consecutive year, after its absence last August.
Regarding China’s absence, Suzuki would only say, “I have not received any explanation from the Chinese side as to the reason, so I am not in a position to comment.”
“China is a nuclear-armed state,” he stressed. “In that sense, it is extremely important for a Chinese representative to attend, share an appreciation of the value of peace, and gain an understanding of the reality of the atomic bombings.”
RELATED:
City of Nagasaki Misses the Opportunity for Peace
(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Shimpei Okuhara, The Sankei Shimbun
Continue Reading