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Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Speaker, sends thank you note to A-bomb survivor

by Hiromi Morita, Staff Writer

Akihiro Takahashi, 77, an A-bomb survivor and a former director of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, has received a letter of appreciation from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, for sharing his experience of the atomic bombing with the participants of the G8 Summit of Lower House Speakers in Hiroshima in September. Mr. Takahashi believes his feelings were sensitively understood by Speaker Pelosi and he is now hopeful a positive change will come to U.S. nuclear policy.

The letter arrived at Mr. Takahashi’s home via the U.S. embassy in Japan and Hiroshima City Hall. In the letter, Speaker Pelosi wrote, “Your insight provided us with an unforgettable experience. We appreciated your being so generous with your time. Our visit was a powerful reminder that we must work together to promote peace and to build a better, safer world.”

Mr. Takahashi, who appealed for the United States to take the initiative in regard to nuclear disarmament when he related his experience to the speakers, commented, “I will continue to urge the speakers to work toward this goal by sending letters so that their visit to Hiroshima will not end up being just a formality.”

The Children’s Library Connecting Hiroshima and the World, a citizens’ group which sent picture books depicting the horror of the atomic bombing to the speakers prior to their meeting in Hiroshima, also received a letter from Speaker Pelosi. Members of the group were happy about being able to convey their message and they presented the letter to the public at an international exchange event on November 16.

(Originally published on November 17, 2008)

Related articles
A-bomb survivor conveys the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to the G8 Speakers (Sept. 4, 2008)
Letters from A-bomb survivors to G8 Lower House Speakers, Part 5 (Sept. 1, 2008)

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