U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Hiroshima Friday, the first ever by a sitting American president, received mixed reviews among some experts Saturday. While the gesture itself was widely lauded and appreciated in Japan and overseas, its substance — particularly Obama's remarks — left some observers disappointed on both sides of the Pacific.
In the meantime, what, if any, political gain Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who accompanied Obama, might get out of the visit is likely to be short-lived as he moves on Monday to a host of controversial domestic issues ranging from whether to postpone an unpopular consumption tax hike for a second time, to the simmering tensions in Okinawa caused by a recent murder linked to a U.S. civilian employee.
As the substance of Obama's speech was more closely examined Saturday by both Americans and Japanese, disappointment was heard in some quarters.