Hiroshima survivor urges Obama to end nuclear weapons in historic plea
An 83-year-old survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb is preparing to meet President Barack Obama during his historic visit to the city. Shigeko Sasamori, one of the last living Hibakusha, hopes to urge him to push for the total abolition of nuclear weapons before it’s too late. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, killing over 200,000 people by the end of that year. The city was left in ruins, and survivors like Sasamori still endure radiation-related illnesses decades later.
President Obama will visit Hiroshima on May 26-27, 2016, as part of the G-7 economic summit in Japan. His trip marks the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the site of the bombing. Sasamori, who was just 13 when the bomb fell, plans to be there to meet him. Despite his stated concerns about nuclear arms, the Obama administration has approved a $1 trillion, 30-year modernisation of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Critics argue this move weakens America’s stance on global non-proliferation. Yet Obama remains the most engaged U.S. president on nuclear disarmament since John F. Kennedy. For Sasamori, the visit is a rare chance to deliver a direct plea. She wants to see all nuclear weapons eliminated within her lifetime—a goal she has pursued for decades as an activist.
Obama’s visit to Hiroshima comes at a time when survivors are ageing and their numbers dwindling. Sasamori’s request for total disarmament will put pressure on the U.S. to reconcile its past actions with its current policies. The outcome of their meeting, if it happens, could influence global discussions on nuclear weapons for years to come.
