Dispatches from Nagasaki No.12
Representatives from Nagasaki and Hiroshima City Visit the Ambassador Kennedy；A request is made to have President Obama visit the sites of the atomic bombings
On January 23, 2015, when the representatives of Nagasaki and Hiroshima city paid visit to U.S. Ambassador to Japan, a letter requesting to have President Obama visit the sites of the atomic bombings was submitted to her. On behalf of Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui and Nagasaki Mayor Tomohisa Taue, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum Director Akitoshi Nakamura personally handed the written request to Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. According to media reports, Ambassador Kennedy stated that, “President Obama is working to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and believes that it is important to build peace throughout the world (Nagasaki Shimbun; Jan. 24, 2015)” and that “The President has taken interest in and worked towards preventing the spread of nuclear weapons ever since his time as a senator. I definitely plan to convey this message to him (Sankei Shimbun; Jan. 21, 2015).”
The request begins by stating that ever since (President Obama) assumed the presidency in January of 2009 “we have called for and greatly anticipated your visit to the sites of the atomic bombings, but as these hopes have yet to be realized we feel a deep sense of regret.” It goes on to say that “if you would sincerely take to heart the accounts of the atomic bombing survivors and their feelings about peace by hearing directly from them at the sites of the atomic bombings, it would surely confirm for you that the goal you stated in your Prague speech six years ago of achieving ‘a world free of nuclear weapons’ was not mistaken. In closing it is stated that “we strongly request that you grant us a visit to the sites of the atomic bombings at the earliest possible date.”
Furthermore, on December ninth of last year, Nagasaki City sent another letter of appeal to the same U.S. Ambassador to Japan in response to the decision to turn the facilities related to the Manhattan Project into a national historical park. Included was the statement “We strongly request that this should in absolutely no way glorify nuclear weapons, but rather convey the horror of such arms and be linked to efforts associated with bringing about their elimination.” Hiroshima City also sent a similarly-worded letter of appeal to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan (Nagasaki Shimbun; Dec. 17, 2014).
The original written request to have President Obama visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a joint statement by the mayors of both cities, was made in English. While its contents have not been released to the public, a Japanese version of the same letter may be viewed here at the website of Hiroshima City:
http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1422240749304/index.html
The joint request issued by the Mayor of Nagasaki and the Chairman of Nagasaki City Council in response to the decision to turn the Manhattan Project facilities into a national historical park may be accessed here at the website of Nagasaki City:
http://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/peace/japanese/abolish/protest/detail.php?lang=jp&puno=627）
長崎市、広島市、ケネディ大使を訪問。オバマ大統領に被爆地訪問を要請
2015年1月23日、長崎・広島両市は、在日米大使館を訪問し、オバマ大統領の被爆地訪問を求める要請文をケネディ大使に提出した。広島市松井一美市長と、長崎市田上市長の代理の中村明俊原爆資料館長から、ケネディ大使に要請文が直接渡され、報道によると、受け取ったケネディ大使は「オバマ大統領は核兵器の不拡散にとりくみ、世界全体の平和構築にも重要と考えている」（長崎新聞、2015年1月24日）、「大統領は上院議員時代から核兵器の不拡散に関心を持って取り組んでおり、確実に伝えたい」（産経新聞、2015年1月24日）と話した。
要請文では、2009年1月の大統領就任以来「被爆地訪問を願い、実現を強く期
待し続けてきましたが、その願いが未だ叶わないことを心から残念に思っています」から始まり、「被爆地において、直接、被爆者の体験や平和への思いを心から受け止めていただければ、御自身が６年前のプラハでの演説で明確に示された「核兵器のない世界」というゴールが間違いないと確信できるはずです」として、最後に「できるだけ早期に被爆地を訪問くださることを強く要請します」としている。
なお、長崎市からは昨年12月9日、「マンハッタン計画関連施設の国立公園化」の決定に対し、「決して核兵器を賛美するものでなく、核兵器の恐ろしさを伝え、核兵器の廃絶につながるような活用を働きかけてくださるよう強く求めます」とする要請文も同米国大使に送付しており、広島市も同様の趣旨の要請文を駐日米大使に送付している。（長崎新聞2014年12月17日）。
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オバマ大統領の広島・長崎訪問についての要請文は、両市長の連名で原文は英語だが、非公開となっており、日本文が広島市のウエブサイトで閲覧できる。
http://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/www/contents/1422240749304/index.html
長崎市長、長崎市議会議長の連名によるマンハッタン計画関連施設の国立公園化に関する要請文、長崎市ウエブサイト
http://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/peace/japanese/abolish/protest/detail.php?lang=jp&puno=627）
