HIROSHIMA, JAPAN – United States Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Japan on Sunday (April 10) for a Group of Seven (G-7) meeting in Hiroshima, in the first-ever visit to the atomic-bombed city by a US secretary of state.
Mr Kerry arrived at a US military base west of Hiroshima from Afghanistan for the two-day G-7 gathering set to discuss a host of global issues including terrorism, Ukraine and North Korea, though the symbolism of his visit is overshadowing the broader diplomatic agenda.
During his stay in Hiroshima, Mr Kerry and other G-7 foreign ministers are scheduled to visit a park and museum dedicated to the Aug 6, 1945 destruction of the city by an American atomic bomb.
Mr Kerry’s trip is seen as possibly paving the way for President Barack Obama to become the first serving US president to journey to the thriving metropolis next month when he visits Japan for the G-7 Summit.
The Hiroshima meeting begins on Sunday and will also be attended by diplomats from nuclear-armed Britain and France, as well as Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan.
The gathering is part of the run-up to the G-7’s rotating annual summit, scheduled this year from May 26 to May 27 in the Ise-Shima region between Tokyo and Osaka. Global security threats are among the focal points for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and other Group of Seven (G-7) foreign ministers who have launched a two-day meeting in Hiroshima, Japan.
Kerry arrived in Hiroshima Sunday following a visit to Afghanistan. He is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb near the end of World War II.
In an interview with a Hiroshima newspaper (Chugoku Shimbun), Kerry said most global threats to international peace require collective action.
“Gatherings, such as this one are important opportunities to help us address urgent international political and security concerns and to speak with one, clear voice on concrete actions needed,” said Kerry.
The Group of Seven industrialized countries also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.  Some of the European members are grappling with security challenges in the aftermath of recent terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris.
In addition to terrorism, the group is expected to discuss maritime security in the South China Sea and the refugee crisis affecting Europe and the Middle East.
The U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, which led to the end of the war. The bombing resulted in the deaths of about 140,000 people. Three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on the port city of Nagasaki, killing about 70,000 people.
Kerry’s intention for visiting the memorial is to “recognize the huge loss of life” that occurred during the war, said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.
“It is also an acknowledgement that since the end of World War II that the United States and Japan have become the closest of friends and strong allies,” he added.
“Being in this city, it will help us carry out a message of peace and disarmament in the world, said Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

 Source: News Agencies, April 11