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EAI Issue Briefing
Divisive Messages from President Obama’s Visit to Hiroshima
Dong-Joon Jo, Seoul National University
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"Interpreting Messages in Obama's Visit to Hiroshima" |
President Obama's visit to Hiroshima on May 27, 2016 sparked much discussion and speculation, especially in neighboring countries. While the White House stands firm on its stance that the U.S. does not owe Japan an apology for the atomic bombings, Obama’s visit has two implications: a shared pledge for the nuclear weapons-free world and reconciliation between the U.S. and Japan, its former World War II enemy. In this paper, Dong-Joon Jo points out that while Hiroshima was not a good place for Obama to reiterate his vision of the nuclear weapons-free world, Obama successfully eased the bitter feelings harbored by the Japanese. According to Jo, the event in Hiroshima clearly demonstrates that the U.S. may not work simply as an “offshore broker” in handling regional issues in East Asia.
 
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