washington/tokyo barack obama become first u.s. president visit hiroshima japan late month apologize unite state drop atomic bomb city end world war two white house say tuesday award nobel peace prize early presidency 2009 part make nuclear nonproliferation centerpiece agenda obama may 27 tour site world first nuclear bomb japan prime minister shinzo abe end last term office approach january obama highlight continue commitment pursue peace security world without nuclear weapons white house say statement revisit decision use atomic bomb end world war ii instead offer forward-looking vision focus share future ben rhodes obama deputy national security adviser write separate blog visit come part may 21-28 swing asia include group seven summit japan first trip vietnam asia trip seek reinforce geopolitical pivot toward region though friends ally sometimes question washington commitment hiroshima tour symbolize new level reconciliation former wartime enemies close ally also underscore obama efforts improve u.s.-japan tie mark asia-pacific trade pact well cooperation china pursuit maritime claim nuclear threat north korea final day summit japan obama abe visit hiroshima peace memorial park near spot u.s. warplane drop atomic bomb 71 years ago decision go hiroshima hotly debate within white house concern u.s. presidential visit would heavily criticize unite state see apology bomb drop aug. 1945 kill thousands people instantly 140,000 end year another drop nagasaki aug. japan surrender six days late majority americans view bomb hiroshima nagasaki justify end war save u.s live japanese see unjustified obama press secretary josh earnest say entirely legitimate line inquiry historians ask white house decide use hiroshima visit issue apology tell reporters obama understand unite state bear special responsibility country use nuclear weapons wartime president emphasize washington responsibility lead world effort eliminate them abe speak reporters tokyo say hop turn opportunity u.s. japan together pay tribute memories victims nuclear bomb president obama visit hiroshima express toward world reality impact nuclear radiation contribute greatly establish world without nuclear arm abe add obama visit symbolic capstone nuclear disarmament agenda lay landmark speech prague 2009. aid tout last year iran nuclear deal major piece foreign policy legacy obama make modest progress toward secure world loose nuclear materials guarantee white house successor keep issue high priority lisbeth gronlund co-director union concern scientists global security program say obama must give another beautiful speech announce concrete action nuclear disarmament visit hiroshima u.s. secretary state john kerry visit hiroshima last month survivors bomb residents say obama visit hope progress rid world nuclear weapons rather apology obama visit hiroshima apologize world war two bomb