Life Japan Marks Hiroshima Anniversary, Invites Leaders - Page 2

**Donger** · 08-06-2014, 12:24 PM

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...mbing-24858379

Japan marked the 69th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday, with the city's mayor inviting world leaders to see atomic bomb-scarred cities firsthand to be convinced that nuclear weapons should not exist.

Speaking before a crowd of survivors, their descendants and dignitaries including U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, the mayor urged U.S. President Barack Obama and others to visit, referring to a proposal made at a ministerial meeting in April of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative in Hiroshima

"President Obama and all leaders of nuclear-armed nations, please respond to that call by visiting the A-bombed cities as soon as possible to see what happened with your own eyes," Mayor Kazumi Matsui said. "If you do, you will be convinced that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil that must no longer be allowed to exist."

About 45,000 people stood for a minute of silence at the ceremony in Hiroshima's peace park near the epicenter of the 1945 bombing that killed up to 140,000 people. The bombing of Nagasaki three days later killed another 70,000, prompting Japan's surrender in World War II.

The number of surviving victims, known as "hibakusha," was just more than 190,000 this year. Their average age is 79, and many of the attendants at the ceremony were their younger relatives and descendants. Hiroshima officials said 5,507 survivors died over the past year.

The anniversary comes as Japan is divided over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent Cabinet decision to allow the country's military to defend foreign countries and play greater roles overseas. To achieve the goal, Abe's Cabinet revised its interpretation of Japan's post-WWII pacifist constitution.

Abe said at the event that as the sole country to suffer nuclear attacks, Japan has the duty to seek to eliminate nuclear weapons. But he did not mention his push for a more assertive defense posture.

Public polls show more than half of the Japanese are opposed to the decision, mainly because of sensitivity over Japan's wartime past.

Matsui did not directly refer to Abe's recent change. But he said the pacifist constitution is what has kept Japan out of war for 69 years.

Sannyasi · 08-06-2014, 01:33 PM

Arguing about the dropping of the bomb is exactly what the Japanese did not do at their ceremony.

**Bufkin** · 08-06-2014, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

Arguing about the dropping of the bomb is exactly what the Japanese did not do at their ceremony.

Being that neither of us speak Japanese, we can't say for certain.

cosmo20002 · 08-06-2014, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...mbing-24858379

Japan marked the 69th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday, with the city's mayor inviting world leaders to see atomic bomb-scarred cities firsthand to be convinced that nuclear weapons should not exist.

Seems odd. Does Japan not believe in round numbers?
Could be a trap.

Reerun_KC · 08-06-2014, 01:48 PM

Thats what they get for not preventing the germans bombing of peral hrbor.

Reerun_KC · 08-06-2014, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Fisher

Truman was a war criminal who hastily dropped atomic bombs on innocent civilians who did nothing wrong. Murdering a half-million people could have been prevented in regards to ending the war. President Eisenhower has some great quotations regarding the Hiroshima and Nagasaki genocide. Truman was a murderous blood-thirsty maniac.

Oh jfc.

**ptlyon** · 08-06-2014, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Thats what they get for not preventing the germans bombing of peral hrbor.

Ok Bluto

MagicHef · 08-06-2014, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rausch

I know there are a number of factors (like the US providing for Japan's defense) but Japan's stability and autonomy are directly related to the constitution provided for them after WWII.

Japan has flourished and at times exceeded the economic and technological achievements of the US commercial market.

All this while being smaller than all but two US states.

Our lack of support for JAP is a huge misstep...

I agree with your post, but the bolded is not true. Japan is just about the same size as Montana, if it were a state is would be 5th in area.

Reerun_KC · 08-06-2014, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptlyon

Ok Bluto

Yeah hard typing on andriod sometimes. Yhanks for noticing.

**RealSNR** · 08-06-2014, 02:11 PM

We'll visit their cute little museum as soon as they formally apologize for their war crimes against China prior to WWII.

Tombstone RJ · 08-06-2014, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Fisher

Truman was a war criminal who hastily dropped atomic bombs on innocent civilians who did nothing wrong. Murdering a half-million people could have been prevented in regards to ending the war. President Eisenhower has some great quotations regarding the Hiroshima and Nagasaki genocide. Truman was a murderous blood-thirsty maniac.

have you ever researched anything you are talking about? The USA wa fire bombing Japanese cities and these cities were primarily made of wood. The devastation was enormous yet the Japanese refused to surrender. Fire bombing wood cities is no picnic.

And please consider this one little tidbit before you get back on your soapbox of dumbassery: Japan refused to surrender even after Hiroshima. It took not ONE but TWO nuclear strikes to get the dumbasses to call it quits.

Furthermore, the overall lives saved, both civilian and militarily via NOT invading Japan is incalculable.

All this being said, I don't think the mayor of Hiroshima or politicians in Japan are asking the USA to apologize. I think they are simply saying "let's not ever do this again, come and see." That is an honorable message.

Eleazar · 08-06-2014, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Fisher

Truman was a war criminal who hastily dropped atomic bombs on innocent civilians who did nothing wrong. Murdering a half-million people could have been prevented in regards to ending the war. President Eisenhower has some great quotations regarding the Hiroshima and Nagasaki genocide. Truman was a murderous blood-thirsty maniac.

yawn... obvious troll still obvious

**ptlyon** · 08-06-2014, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Yeah hard typing on andriod sometimes. Yhanks for noticing.

**RealSNR** · 08-06-2014, 02:17 PM

**Bufkin** · 08-06-2014, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

yawn... obvious troll still obvious

Obvious troll wasn't obvious enough Beethoven. See the shit fit posted seconds before yours.

Tombstone RJ · 08-06-2014, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Fisher

Obvious troll wasn't obvious enough Beethoven. See the shit fit posted seconds before yours.

herpy derp. chefs still suck.

08-06-2014, 12:24 PM
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9809900 VARSITY	Japan Marks Hiroshima Anniversary, Invites Leaders http://abcnews.go.com/International/...mbing-24858379 Japan marked the 69th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on Wednesday, with the city's mayor inviting world leaders to see atomic bomb-scarred cities firsthand to be convinced that nuclear weapons should not exist. Speaking before a crowd of survivors, their descendants and dignitaries including U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, the mayor urged U.S. President Barack Obama and others to visit, referring to a proposal made at a ministerial meeting in April of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative in Hiroshima "President Obama and all leaders of nuclear-armed nations, please respond to that call by visiting the A-bombed cities as soon as possible to see what happened with your own eyes," Mayor Kazumi Matsui said. "If you do, you will be convinced that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil that must no longer be allowed to exist." About 45,000 people stood for a minute of silence at the ceremony in Hiroshima's peace park near the epicenter of the 1945 bombing that killed up to 140,000 people. The bombing of Nagasaki three days later killed another 70,000, prompting Japan's surrender in World War II. The number of surviving victims, known as "hibakusha," was just more than 190,000 this year. Their average age is 79, and many of the attendants at the ceremony were their younger relatives and descendants. Hiroshima officials said 5,507 survivors died over the past year. The anniversary comes as Japan is divided over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent Cabinet decision to allow the country's military to defend foreign countries and play greater roles overseas. To achieve the goal, Abe's Cabinet revised its interpretation of Japan's post-WWII pacifist constitution. Abe said at the event that as the sole country to suffer nuclear attacks, Japan has the duty to seek to eliminate nuclear weapons. But he did not mention his push for a more assertive defense posture. Public polls show more than half of the Japanese are opposed to the decision, mainly because of sensitivity over Japan's wartime past. Matsui did not directly refer to Abe's recent change. But he said the pacifist constitution is what has kept Japan out of war for 69 years.
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08-06-2014, 01:33 PM	#16
Sannyasi Veteran Join Date: Jan 2010 Casino cash: $9963714	Arguing about the dropping of the bomb is exactly what the Japanese did not do at their ceremony.
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08-06-2014, 01:48 PM	#19
Reerun_KC Rock Chalk Jayhawks! KU!!! Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $8241160	Thats what they get for not preventing the germans bombing of peral hrbor.
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