Hiroshima Gov. Hidehiko Yuzaki on Wednesday asked Pope Francis to visit the atomic-bombed city and send a message of peace to the world.
Yuzaki made the call in a public audience with the pope in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square. He also met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to relay his hope for a visit to Hiroshima by the pope.
"Hiroshima is a symbol of reconstruction, hope and peace. The pope's visit would attract worldwide attention and provide a chance for everybody to think about abolition of nuclear weapons," Yuzaki said after the audience.
The pope has constantly called for nuclear disarmament. If a trip to Hiroshima is realized, it would be the first papal visit to Japan since Pope John Paul II in 1981.