A-bomb survivors welcome news of possible visit by President Obama to Hiroshima
Apr. 23, 2016
by Masanori Wada, Kyosuke Mizukawa, and Gosuke Nagahisa, Staff Writers
On April 22, it was learned that U.S. President Barack Obama may visit Hiroshima in connection with his upcoming trip to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit (Ise Shima summit), to take place on May 26 and 27. The news was welcomed by A-bomb survivors, who hope Mr. Obama will deliver a message from the A-bombed city calling for concrete action to realize a world free of nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
“I appreciate that President Obama is considering a visit to Hiroshima to promote peace for humanity. I hope he will bow in prayer at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and recognize the powerful wish of the survivors for the abolition of nuclear arms,” Sunao Tsuboi, 90, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo), said with conviction. When Mr. Obama took office in January 2009, Mr. Tsuboi and other A-bomb survivors sent a joint letter that appealed for him to visit Hiroshima. Mr. Tsuboi said, “In the back of my heart, I still feel some frustration and bitterness toward the United States, which dropped the atomic bomb. But I want to rise above such emotions rationally and work together with the president, without giving up, to eliminate nuclear weapons and war from the earth.”
Emiko Okada, 79, an A-bomb survivor and resident of Higashi Ward, also sent a letter to President Obama, calling on him to visit Hiroshima. She shared her hopes by saying, “I was very impressed by the speech he made in Prague. I hope he will speak near the A-bomb Dome and convey firm determination and the actions to be taken to advance nuclear disarmament.”
Since Mr. Obama became president, the United States has begun dispatching its ambassador to Japan to the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima. On April 11, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward when he attended the meeting of G7 foreign ministers. Mr. Kerry, however, did not have the opportunity to listen to personal accounts from A-bomb survivors.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 71, chair of the other Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, pointed to the significance of a visit by President Obama, saying, “I would like him to listen directly to the experience of an A-bomb survivor and share his honest impressions. On top of that, I hope he will clearly state, from here in Hiroshima, the concrete actions that he will take toward eliminating nuclear weapons.”
Kazumi Mizumoto, vice president and professor of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University in Asaminami Ward, views a visit by Mr. Obama as a courageous decision, given the deeply-held feelings among the American public which justify the atomic bombings. Ms. Mizumoto said, “His visit to Hiroshima would be very beneficial if he could heighten awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons and send a strong message for advancing nuclear disarmament by engaging the other nuclear powers, including Russia.”
(Originally published on April 23, 2016)
On April 22, it was learned that U.S. President Barack Obama may visit Hiroshima in connection with his upcoming trip to Japan for the Group of Seven (G7) summit (Ise Shima summit), to take place on May 26 and 27. The news was welcomed by A-bomb survivors, who hope Mr. Obama will deliver a message from the A-bombed city calling for concrete action to realize a world free of nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
“I appreciate that President Obama is considering a visit to Hiroshima to promote peace for humanity. I hope he will bow in prayer at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims and recognize the powerful wish of the survivors for the abolition of nuclear arms,” Sunao Tsuboi, 90, chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations (Hidankyo), said with conviction. When Mr. Obama took office in January 2009, Mr. Tsuboi and other A-bomb survivors sent a joint letter that appealed for him to visit Hiroshima. Mr. Tsuboi said, “In the back of my heart, I still feel some frustration and bitterness toward the United States, which dropped the atomic bomb. But I want to rise above such emotions rationally and work together with the president, without giving up, to eliminate nuclear weapons and war from the earth.”
Emiko Okada, 79, an A-bomb survivor and resident of Higashi Ward, also sent a letter to President Obama, calling on him to visit Hiroshima. She shared her hopes by saying, “I was very impressed by the speech he made in Prague. I hope he will speak near the A-bomb Dome and convey firm determination and the actions to be taken to advance nuclear disarmament.”
Since Mr. Obama became president, the United States has begun dispatching its ambassador to Japan to the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima. On April 11, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited the Peace Memorial Park in Naka Ward when he attended the meeting of G7 foreign ministers. Mr. Kerry, however, did not have the opportunity to listen to personal accounts from A-bomb survivors.
Kunihiko Sakuma, 71, chair of the other Hiroshima Prefectural Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, pointed to the significance of a visit by President Obama, saying, “I would like him to listen directly to the experience of an A-bomb survivor and share his honest impressions. On top of that, I hope he will clearly state, from here in Hiroshima, the concrete actions that he will take toward eliminating nuclear weapons.”
Kazumi Mizumoto, vice president and professor of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University in Asaminami Ward, views a visit by Mr. Obama as a courageous decision, given the deeply-held feelings among the American public which justify the atomic bombings. Ms. Mizumoto said, “His visit to Hiroshima would be very beneficial if he could heighten awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons and send a strong message for advancing nuclear disarmament by engaging the other nuclear powers, including Russia.”
(Originally published on April 23, 2016)
