Kishida, Us Envoy Visit Hiroshima To Pray For Atomic Bombing Victims
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel have visited Hiroshima to offer prayers for victims of the 1945 atomic bombing.
The two visited the Peace Memorial Park on Saturday.
They toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Among the displays are paper cranes donated by then US President Barack Obama during his trip to the city in 2016.
Kishida and Emanuel then laid flowers and prayed at a cenotaph dedicated to the atomic bombing victims.
Their visit came amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has put the country's deterrence forces, including nuclear weapons, on high alert.
In a conversation with Emanuel, Kishida said there is a real concern that Russia could use nuclear weapons. He stressed that weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms, should never be used.
Kishida said the ambassador's visit to the atomic-bombed city will send a strong message to the international community.
Emanuel said that Russia's "illegal war" against Ukraine has sparked "global condemnation."