Japan: Obama as the first US president to visit Hiroshima – Republic

Upon arrival, the president of the United States in the company of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went to the museum located in the park of peace in Hiroshima, where Obama signed the visitors’ book.

“We have seen the agony caused by war . Let’s find in himself now the courage to promote peace and work for a world without nuclear weapons “- wrote Obama in the visitors’ book.

President of the United States filed a wreath at the site commemorating the explosion of an atomic bomb.

– we have come to reflect on whether this terrible force that has been unleashed here does not belong to the distant past. (…) We came here to mourn the dead – said during his speech. – We all remember those innocent victims killed during this terrible war. (…) We have a shared responsibility to look into the eyes of history. We must ask ourselves what we can do to again prevent such suffering – the American president stressed.

During his speech, Obama again stressed the need to strive for a world without nuclear weapons. He said the world must “prevent conflicts using diplomacy.”

Speaking after Obama, Prime Minister Abe emphasized that the visit of the American leader in Hiroshima opens a new chapter in the reconciliation between the US and Japan. With appreciation spoke also about the courage of the leaders of the United States, who was the first incumbent president paid a visit to Hiroshima.

The head of the Japanese government also stressed that you can not allow that a similar tragedy at the Hiroshima happened anywhere else. He joined also to Obama’s appeal for a world free of nuclear weapons.

Obama in his speech paid tribute to 140 thousand. the victims of the events of seven decades. But already the White House reported that during his speech the president did not apologize for the attacks, which many believe greatly accelerated the end of World War II. Apology from the US president were expecting some family members of victims of the events of 1,945 years.

– If Obama apologized, I could die and meet the parents’ room in heaven – said 73-year-old Eiji Hattori, who as a child survived the explosion the atomic bomb, and is now faced with three types of cancer. He stressed in an interview with Reuters news agency that the US President an apology could alleviate his suffering.

After the end of his speech, President Obama exchanged a few words with the two survivors of the US atomic bomb explosion.