Disney offers ‘deep apologies’ for Nagasaki bomb anniversary tweet

TOKYO (AP) — Walt Disney Japan has apologized after a tweet sent from its corporate Twitter account wished readers “congratulations on a not special day” on the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki.

In a tweet, below in Japanese, the company offered “deep apologies,” saying it would take care to avoid such mistakes in the future.

【お詫び】8月9日のディズニーTwitterアカウントからのツイートについて、皆様にご不快な思いをさせてしまう不適切な表現がありましたことを深くお詫び申し上げます。今後につきましては細心の注意を払ってアカウント運営を行ってまいります。

— ディズニー公式 (@disneyjp) August 9, 2015

In English, the original tweet sent Sunday conveyed “A very merry unbirthday to you!” from a song in the Disney film “Alice in Wonderland.” The Japanese translation described the day as “not special,” prompting sharp criticism.

Japan holds solemn ceremonies each year to mourn the more than 74,000 people killed in the bombing of Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, three days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, ending World War II.