2016年5月26日木曜日

U.S. President’s First Visit to Hiroshima

Today President Obama will visit Hiroshima for the first time as incumbent POTUS. He reportedly said one of his objectives is to remember all victims of WWII.

I personally think this is a very important point. While I understand nuclear involves particularly complicated and lingering suffering, whether nuclear or “conventional” weapons, they invariably kill people.

I grew up listening to my parents’ difficult experience surviving the Tokyo bombing which killed 100,000 people at March 10, 1945 night alone. It was very unfortunate Governor Ishihara abolished a plan to create a museum on this subject, while I recognize his achievement in environmental regulation that has brought much cleaner air in this city. Writer Katsumoto Saotome and some people have volunteered to run a small museum that details not only in Tokyo, but also almost all major Japanese cities, countless civilians were killed by bombs.

The list of war victims never ends even today in this world. In my personal view, I hope Mr. Obama’s visit to Hiroshima provides an opportunity to remind us of such insanity and encourage us to come up with creative solutions for a peaceful world.