The New York Times published an opinion article by Issey MyaKe called "Flash of Memory".
Myake at age 7 witnessed the atomic bomb, and lost his mother 3 years later as a result of radiation sickness. Myake grew up to become a fashion designer due in part because he found the world of clothing a bright and cheerful world to live in as he tried to bury the ugly memories of August 6, 1945.
The 64th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is August 6th. Myake has invited Barack Obama to the peace ceremony in Hiroshima after hearing Obama make his speech on nuclear weapons in Prague last April. Myake believes Obama should attend and cross the Peace Bridge.
America is the only country who ever used the A-bomb. It was a very inhuman act, but many agree Truman made the best decision at a time the world was still witnessing inexplicable human suffering. There was no doubt that the U.S. would win the war in the Pacific, but the question was how many millions more would have to die being that Japan showed no signs of unconditional surrender.
Obama does not have to go Japan, and should not apologize. Japan has never apologized for beginning the war and making the initial attack at Pearl Harbor in which 2403 American soldiers and civilians perished.
