Hiroshima peace park and Pearl Harbor memorial will work together to promote peace

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Hiroshima and Pearl Harbor, two symbols of World War II animosity between Japan and the United States, are now promoting peace and friendship through a sister park arrangement. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui signed a sister park agreement on Thursday for Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial of Hawaii. Emanuel says the arrangement will inspire people to visit the parks and learn the spirit of reconciliation. He says Pearl Harbor is a revered place for Americans, while Hiroshima is an equally revered place for Japanese, “which is why you want to build a sister park agreement to learn from each other.”