A Presidential Visit to Hiroshima
Updated May 19, 2016
A Presidential Visit to Hiroshima
Overview
robust health of the bilateral relationship. In the past three
On May 10, the White House announced that President
years, updated bilateral defense arrangements, regular and
Obama will visit Hiroshima when he travels to Japan for the
successful high-level visits, and strategic alignment have
May 26-27 G-7 summit, becoming the first sitting U.S.
solidified the two countries’ military alliance. During his
president to visit the city. In the closing days of World War
visit in April 2015, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
II, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese
visited Washington’s World War II memorial before
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing an estimated
expressing his “deep repentance” for Japan’s actions during
200,000 people, about half of whom died immediately. The
the war in an address to a joint meeting of Congress.
bombings were the two and only times that nuclear
weapons have been used in war. On August 15, 1945, six
While some observers on both sides fear that re-opening
days after the Nagasaki bombing, Japan surrendered to
painful history between the two countries carries risk of
Allied Forces.
hurting the alliance, others feel that a forthright discussion
of history actually could deepen trust. Supporters of the
A visit to Hiroshima allows President Obama to return to
visit point to the benefits of reinforcing the Obama
the issue of nuclear disarmament that he broached in the
Administration’s strategic rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific
early months of his Administration. In a speech in Prague in
region by showcasing the strength of the partnership 70
April 2009, he pledged to pursue an agenda that would
years after the conclusion of the war. Some analysts posit
reduce nuclear dangers and lead, in the future, to the
that Abe may consider visiting Pearl Harbor as Prime
worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons. The Norwegian
Minister to reciprocate Obama’s gesture.
Nobel Committee in 2009 awarded him the Nobel Peace
Prize due in part to his advocacy for a world free of nuclear
weapons. During a visit to Japan in 2009, Obama was
Before Secretary Kerry’s visit, then-Speaker of the
quoted by a reporter as saying, “The memories of
House Nancy Pelosi had been the highest ranking U.S.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki are etched in the minds of the
official to visit the site, in 2008. President Jimmy
world, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to
Carter visited Hiroshima in 1984 after leaving office.
visit those cities at some point during my presidency.”
Obama’s first envoy to Japan, John Roos, was the first
ambassador to attend the annual ceremonies marking
In what some observers interpreted as a prelude to an
the anniversaries of the bombing in Hiroshima and
Obama visit, on April 11, 2016, U.S. Secretary of State
Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, respectively. Current
John Kerry became the highest-level U.S. official to visit
ambassador Caroline Kennedy has continued
Hiroshima. He laid a wreath at the memorial site and toured
the practice.
the museum that portrays the destruction of the atomic
bombing. Kerry visited with his counterparts from the other
The Politics of a Visit
G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and
the United Kingdom), including Japanese Foreign Minister
Much of the U.S. media speculation surrounding the visit
Fumio Kishida, a Hiroshima native.
centers on the questions of whether it would be interpreted
as an apology. The White House has been clear that Obama
Some critics could interpret the presidential visit to
will not apologize but instead would offer a “forward-
Hiroshima as an implicit apology for a military decision
looking signal for his ambition of realizing the goal of a
justified by ending a devastating war and saving American
planet without nuclear weapons.” During his visit,
lives. Further, it could unearth difficult historical issues
Secretary Kerry did not issue an apology. After visiting the
between Washington and Tokyo that could potentially
museum that details the human suffering caused by the
degrade the strength of the thriving bilateral alliance. In
bombing, Kerry called the experience “gut-wrenching” and
contrast, supporters see the visit as an opportunity to
went on to underscore the importance of curbing the
reiterate the President’s commitment to work towards a
existence of nuclear weapons worldwide. This in some
world free of nuclear weapons, as well as a powerful
respects parallels Abe’s speech to Congress in 2015, in
demonstration of reconciliation between erstwhile enemies.
which he reflected with remorse on the damage that Japan
The emotional element of a visit could animate domestic
caused in World War II without giving an explicit apology.
politics in both countries, as well as engage the
international disarmament community and regional powers.
Critics who charge that simply appearing at the atomic
bombing memorial site would imply an apology say that a
Impact on the Alliance
presidential visit may be particularly offensive to U.S.
Recent statements by high-level Japanese officials indicate
veteran and Prisoners of War (POW) groups. Some U.S.
that, despite some initial ambivalence, Tokyo welcomes
activists have called on Obama also to visit sites in Japan
Obama’s visit to Hiroshima as another indication of the
where U.S. POWs were subjected to brutal treatment.
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A Presidential Visit to Hiroshima
American and Japanese views on the use of atomic
war criminals. In December 2015, Seoul and Tokyo reached
weapons on Japan differ, although support for the bombings
an agreement on how to resolve the “comfort women”
has dropped in both countries. A 2015 Pew Research Center
issue, a euphemism that refers to the thousands of women
opinion poll found that 56% of Americans thought the
who were forced to provide sex to Japanese soldiers.
bombings were justified, down from 63% in 1991, while in
Although relations remain fragile, there is a sense that Abe
Japan 14% thought the attacks were justified, down from
has dealt with historical issues more responsibly than he did
29% in 1991. The survey also revealed the U.S. public’s
during his first year in office. Critics, however, maintain
opposition to a formal apology for the use of atomic bombs:
that an Obama visit would unjustly reward Abe for his own
20% supported an apology and 73% did not.
questionable record on facing history squarely. Other
scholars are concerned that an excessive focus on the U.S.-
Japanese Reaction
Japan conflict would fix Japan’s collective memory of the
Opinion polls in Japan indicate that the Japanese public
war as a bilateral contest and minimize Japan’s aggression
overwhelmingly supports (nearly 75% in a recent poll) an
and invasion on the Asian continent in the 1930s.
Obama visit to Hiroshima. Advocates of the visit argue that
such a gesture could be meaningful to a public that still
Disarmament Agenda
holds strong pacifist sentiments and is uncomfortable with
Supporters see the visit as a reinforcement of Obama’s
some of Abe’s defense reforms that have eased restrictions
Prague speech that expressed “America’s commitment to
on Japan’s military and were supported by the Obama
seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear
Administration. This line of thinking suggests that paying
weapons.” Disarmament advocates point to Obama’s
respects at Hiroshima could, at least initially, broaden
success in concluding a 2015 agreement that aims to curb
Japanese popular support for the alliance.
Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and the 2010 New
Start treaty with Russia to reduce the number of nuclear
Others argue that an Obama visit could boost Japanese
warheads in both countries. At the same time, they express
rightists who deny or downplay the atrocities committed by
disappointment that the Administration continues to
the Imperial Japanese military during World War II, and
modernize nuclear weapons and that it has not pressed the
who argue that the U.S. imposed a type of “victors’ justice”
Senate to consider ratification of the Comprehensive Test
on Japan after the war. The visit, however, could also
Ban Treaty. For non-proliferation groups, the symbolism of
reduce the potency of hardline revisionists, who argue that
paying respects at Hiroshima could underscore the
Japan is blamed for its past transgressions while the United
disarmament goal, however distant that reality.
States does not acknowledge its mistakes. Abe’s record
suggests that while he keeps company with the right-wing
The Obama Administration may be motivated to reaffirm
of his party, he also seeks a pragmatic course to maintain
the U.S. commitment to Japan’s defense and bolster Japan’s
his international standing and the U.S. alliance. Whether the
resistance to “going nuclear.” Presidential candidate Donald
prestige of an Obama visit would encourage Abe to
Trump recently said he was open to the idea of Japan
moderate his more nationalistic impulses or, conversely,
developing its own nuclear arsenal, prompting mainstream
give him the stature to promote the historical views of more
politicians in Tokyo to dismiss the possibility. The United
revisionist groups, remains an open question.
States guarantees Japan’s security through the 1960 Treaty
of Mutual Cooperation and Security and U.S. officials have
Regional Sensitivities and Ramifications
repeatedly emphasized the American commitment to deter
An Obama visit to Hiroshima could have implications for
Japan’s adversaries using the full range of U.S. capabilities.
regional ties as well. Japan’s contemporary relations with
Moreover, Japan has been a leading advocate of
South Korea have been disrupted over issues surrounding
disarmament in international fora, but some figures in the
Japan’s record of colonialism and wartime atrocities. Many
Japanese security establishment have questioned the
South Koreans have long maintained that Japan has not
strength of the U.S. guarantee if dependence on nuclear
sufficiently apologized or “atoned” for its past actions.
weapons is reduced. This anxiety is heightened by apparent
They also may feel that paying respects at Hiroshima
advancements in North Korea’s nuclear weapons program
furthers the narrative of Japan as a victim, rather than an
and China’s possession of a nuclear arsenal.
aggressor, in World War II. South Koreans have singled out
Abe as unrepentant and revisionist for his past statements.
Other countries are also alarmed by the possibility of an
The downturn in Japan-South Korea relations after Abe
arms race in Asia and may seek reassurance about the U.S.
took office in December 2012 became an acute concern for
commitment to nonproliferation. That concern may have
Washington because of missed opportunities for trilateral
spurred the UK and French foreign ministers to join Kerry
defense cooperation on dealing with North Korean
at Hiroshima; until then, no foreign minister or sitting
provocations and China’s rise.
leader from a nuclear-armed nation had visited the
memorial. The collective nature of that occasion could
Since 2014, however, Abe appears to have responded to
suggest that many world powers welcome an Obama visit
criticism that his handling of these controversial issues
as a means to reengage on the disarmament agenda.
could be damaging to Japan’s and—to some extent—U.S.
national interests. Abe has not visited the controversial
Yasukuni Shrine since late 2013. The Shinto shrine was
Emma Chanlett-Avery, Specialist in Asian Affairs
established to “enshrine” the “souls” of Japanese soldiers
IF10395
who died during war, and includes 14 convicted Class A
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A Presidential Visit to Hiroshima
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10395 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED