Quotes from Obama’s historic Hiroshima visit

HIROSHIMA, Japan – Some quotes from the first visit by a serving U.S. president to Hiroshima on Friday, 71 years after U.S. forces dropped an atomic bomb on the city in western Japan during World War II.

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BARACK OBAMA, president of the United States

“We stand here in the middle of this city and force ourselves to imagine the moment the bomb fell. We force ourselves to feel the dread of children confused by what they see. We listen to a silent cry.”

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MASAMI OKAZAKI, 54, son of a bomb victim

“My father died of illness related to the atomic bombing at the age of 41. Although it is true that I have mixed feelings, I still think (Obama’s) visit was good overall.”

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MINEKO MORISHITA, 67, English teacher

“I think it was very good that President Obama made a visit to Hiroshima. It looks like the (Japanese) government passed to him the wish of the people of Hiroshima that we wanted him to visit the A-bomb museum and to meet atomic bomb victims. I think he made such a sincere speech. So, I think it was indeed a historic day.”

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SHINZO ABE, prime minister of Japan

“The president of the United states is now facing the reality of the damage of the atomic bombing and renewing his commitment toward a world without nuclear weapons. This gives hope to many people around the world.”