The mayors, many survivors of the atomic bombings, and many residents of the only two cities ever attacked with nuclear weapons have hailed the decision announced Tuesday that U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Hiroshima later this month.
But others expressed cynical views of a trip left to the final months of the Obama presidency.
Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, who has long sought a visit by Obama to the city, told reporters on Wednesday he expects Obama to "accept the feelings of hibakusha and reinforce his speech in Prague."