The mayor of Nagasaki plans to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan to this year's peace ceremony, which marks the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the city.



This is the first time for Nagasaki to invite all countries and regions to the annual ceremony on August 9 since 2021.



Last year, Nagasaki did not invite Israel. The city said it wanted to ensure the ceremony to mourn atomic bomb victims would be carried out smoothly in a calm and solemn atmosphere.



The US ambassador and those from some other countries responded to the city's decision by not attending the ceremony.



Russia and Belarus have not been invited to the ceremony since 2022 after Moscow began its invasion of Ukraine.



Mayor Suzuki Shiro said in a news conference on Thursday that the city plans to invite all countries and regions, including Israel and Russia, which have embassies and diplomatic missions in Japan.



Suzuki said he hopes all representatives will attend the ceremony, especially now that divisions in the international community are deepening. He said he wants them to witness with their own eyes, hear with their own ears, and feel in their hearts the cruel and inhumane consequences of the use of atomic weapons.



The city plans to take strict security measures and to request the attendees' cooperation for a calm and solemn ceremony.