Secretary of State John F. Kerry visited the atomic bomb memorial and museum in Japan.
Along with other foreign dignitaries, Kerry toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial museum that displays debris left of the bomb that the United States dropped during the final days of the World War II.
The foreign ministers emotionally laid wreaths at the skeletal ruins of the sole building left at ground zero. During the visit, about 800 students from neighboring schools were waving the flags of different diplomats as a sign of hope that soon the world would be rid of nuclear weapons.
The line-up of diplomats during the ceremony showed that warring nations of before have now come to peace and are standing with each other as allies.
Honored to be 1st Sec State to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum & Park. Here is what I wrote in the guestbook. pic.twitter.com/suQSxMCLs1
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) April 11, 2016
"Everyone in the world should see and feel the power of this memorial," Kerry wrote in a guest book after touring the museum. "It is a stark, harsh, compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all our effort to avoid war itself. War must be the last resort - never the first choice. This memorial compels us all to redouble our efforts to change the world, to find peace and build the future so yearned for by citizens everywhere."
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida hopes the visit of foreign diplomats to the museum help raise global awareness about nuclear disarmament.
"I'm hoping that we can create a momentum for a world free of nuclear weapons by agreeing on issues of nuclear disarmament among the nuclear powers and the non-nuclear powers among the G-7 nations, and send a message to the world," Kishida said.
American Apology Under Way?
Analysts believe that Kerry's visit to Hiroshima Peace Park as a pre-emptive measure for U.S. President Barack Obama's potential visit to Japan next month. However, the Japanese are not expecting that the U.S. leader will issue an apology for the two bombs dropped at Nagasaki and Hiroshima that resulted to an estimated 350,000 total deaths in a five year span.
Kerry believes that the visit's goal is not to look at the past and point fingers. It is about building a bilateral relationship that transcends events of the past.
"It's about the present and the future particularly, and the strength of the relationship that we have built, the friendship that we share, the strength of our alliance, and the strong reminder of the imperative we all have to work for peace for peoples everywhere," Kerry said prior to his meeting with Japan's foreign minister.
On the other hand, many foreign relation experts encourage Obama to visit and talk at ground zero. Obama, in his numerous visits to Japan, has expressed intent to visit Hiroshima but has not done so yet. They believe that Obama's visit to Hiroshima would raise important issues to highlight that nuclear weapons have detrimental consequences.
Kishida voiced that he would greatly appreciate a visit, as it would allow foreign ministers to see the reality of atomic bombings.
Asked whether Kerry would issue an apology, a State Department official shared that more than the apology, it is important that the two countries agree on one thing - the future should be free of war.
John F. Kerry is the first Secretary of State to visit Hiroshima Peace Park.
To see the reality of atomic bombs, you can watch a rare HD footage of an atomic detonation here.
Photo: Mig Gilbert | Flickr
