A-bomb survivors express hope that Obama will visit Hiroshima
Apr. 4, 2016
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On March 23, A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima expressed hope that U.S. President Barack Obama might visit Hiroshima in connection with the Ise Shima summit in May, after hearing that the U.S. government is considering the idea.
“A visit by Mr. Obama would increase momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons,” said Mieko Okada, 78, an A-bomb survivor and resident of Higashi Ward. “I sincerely hope his visit will be realized.” Ms. Okada has been active in sharing her experience of the atomic bombing with others in Japan and abroad. President Obama, who made a captivating speech in Prague in April 2009, in which he advocated a nuclear-free world, has less than 10 months in office. Ms. Okada added that she is unable to forget the hope she felt when she heard this speech and believes that Mr. Obama will visit Hiroshima during his time as president.
Rose Gottemoeller, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security who announced that a visit by Mr. Obama to Hiroshima was being considered, paid a visit to Hiroshima in April of 2014 to attend the ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) as a guest. The NPDI is made up of 12 non-nuclear weapon states. Keiko Ogura, 78, a resident of Naka Ward who conveyed her experience of the atomic bombing in English to Ms. Gottemoeller, said that the under secretary told her that they would work together to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons and that she was making efforts to promote the president’s visit to Hiroshima.
The City of Hiroshima has also been actively encouraging the U.S. government to arrange for a visit to Hiroshima by Mr. Obama. Toward that end, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui handed a letter requesting the president’s visit to Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, in December 2015. Motonobu Yokoyama, from the City’s Peace Promotion Division, said, “It seems that the U.S. government is seriously considering a visit by the president. We’re hopeful that this will happen, but we’re monitoring the situation carefully.”
The sticking point is the deeply-rooted belief among Americans that the atomic attacks on Japan were justified and this would be a major obstacle to overcome prior to Mr. Obama’s visit. Kazumi Mizumoto, the vice president of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University in Minami Ward, commented that the decision will be based on how such a visit would affect the Democratic candidates in the presidential election as well as public opinion in the United States.
(Originally published on March 24, 2016)
On March 23, A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima expressed hope that U.S. President Barack Obama might visit Hiroshima in connection with the Ise Shima summit in May, after hearing that the U.S. government is considering the idea.
“A visit by Mr. Obama would increase momentum for the abolition of nuclear weapons,” said Mieko Okada, 78, an A-bomb survivor and resident of Higashi Ward. “I sincerely hope his visit will be realized.” Ms. Okada has been active in sharing her experience of the atomic bombing with others in Japan and abroad. President Obama, who made a captivating speech in Prague in April 2009, in which he advocated a nuclear-free world, has less than 10 months in office. Ms. Okada added that she is unable to forget the hope she felt when she heard this speech and believes that Mr. Obama will visit Hiroshima during his time as president.
Rose Gottemoeller, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security who announced that a visit by Mr. Obama to Hiroshima was being considered, paid a visit to Hiroshima in April of 2014 to attend the ministerial meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) as a guest. The NPDI is made up of 12 non-nuclear weapon states. Keiko Ogura, 78, a resident of Naka Ward who conveyed her experience of the atomic bombing in English to Ms. Gottemoeller, said that the under secretary told her that they would work together to advance the abolition of nuclear weapons and that she was making efforts to promote the president’s visit to Hiroshima.
The City of Hiroshima has also been actively encouraging the U.S. government to arrange for a visit to Hiroshima by Mr. Obama. Toward that end, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui handed a letter requesting the president’s visit to Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, in December 2015. Motonobu Yokoyama, from the City’s Peace Promotion Division, said, “It seems that the U.S. government is seriously considering a visit by the president. We’re hopeful that this will happen, but we’re monitoring the situation carefully.”
The sticking point is the deeply-rooted belief among Americans that the atomic attacks on Japan were justified and this would be a major obstacle to overcome prior to Mr. Obama’s visit. Kazumi Mizumoto, the vice president of the Hiroshima Peace Institute at Hiroshima City University in Minami Ward, commented that the decision will be based on how such a visit would affect the Democratic candidates in the presidential election as well as public opinion in the United States.
(Originally published on March 24, 2016)
