Obama to visit Hiroshima, where US dropped first atomic bomb
As president of the only country to have used nuclear weapons, Barack Obama will make a historic visit to Hiroshima, Japan, where the US first dropped the atomic bomb nearly 71 years ago.
Obama will visit the site of the world’s first nuclear bombing and meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "to highlight his continued commitment to pursuing the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons," the White House said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes wrote on the social media website Medium on Tuesday that the president will visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a site built in the memory of the people who lost their lives in the bombing on August 6, 1945 during World War II.
About 140,000 people were killed in the bombing which was followed by another US atomic bombing on the port city of Nagasaki, killing about 70,000 people on August 9.
Obama’s visit to the city would have enormous symbolic importance; however, it is not clear whether the US president would apologize to the Japanese people for carrying out the atrocity.
“In making this visit, the president will shine a spotlight on the tremendous and devastating human toll of war,” Rhodes said.
“To be sure, the United States will be eternally proud of our civilian leaders and the men and women of our armed services who served in World War II for their sacrifice at a time of maximum peril to our country and our world,” he added.
Rhodes said the “visit will offer an opportunity to honor the memory of all innocents who were lost during the war.”
The US deputy national security adviser said during his trip on May 27, Obama would work against nuclear proliferation and highlight America’s strong relations with Japan.
“The president’s time in Hiroshima also will reaffirm America’s longstanding commitment – and the president’s personal commitment – to pursue the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons,” Rhodes said.
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