Visitors to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Saturday hailed the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the hibakusha group, Nihon Hidankyo.
One Japanese boy at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park noted that many countries have nuclear weapons, adding, “I hope the significance of the award reaches those countries.”
A female tourist from Australia said, “I think these awards are important on the world stage because it does remind everybody of what happened and that we must strive for better world.”
A second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days after the one on Hiroshima. People at the park near the epicenter in Nagasaki also had positive sentiments about the decision by the Nobel committee.
One Japanese woman said: “I think we should never forget that Japan is the only country that suffered atomic bombings. So, I hope younger generations will also never forget about it.”
A father visiting the park with his daughter said: “I think my child doesn’t know the meaning of peace yet. So, I came here because I wanted her to feel the value of peace. I just prayed with my child that atomic bombs will never be used again.”