Kerry says Hiroshima anniversary shows importance of Iran deal

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima underscored the importance of a deal reached on Iran’s nuclear program. Ceremonies were held in Hiroshima on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing. The city’s mayor, Kazumi Matsui, urged that nuclear weapons be abolished. Asked before meeting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Malaysia whether he had any thoughts about the significance of the anniversary, Kerry replied:

[It] is a very, very powerful reminder of not just the impact of war lasting today on people and countries but it also underscores the importance of the agreement we have reached with Iran to reduce the possibility of more nuclear weapons.

Secretary of State John Kerry

Japan’s prime minister said Thursday that he would express “remorse” over World War II in a closely watched statement this month, but his comments left questions about whether he would repeat previous apologies. Shinzo Abe is readying his remarks for the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, which are expected to be released ahead of August 15, the date Japan announced its surrender to the Allies. The nationalist leader also said he would follow previous explicit prime ministerial apologies over Japan’s past “as a whole.”

I will express remorse over the past war, our postwar path as a pacifist nation, and how Japan should further contribute to the Asia-Pacific region and the world in the future.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

World Hiroshima