On this past Monday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan announced that he will be visiting Pearl Harbor during a trip to Hawaii this upcoming December. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be the first leader from Japan to visit Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is the site of Japans attack 75 years ago on the United States. This attack killed over 2,000 Americans, and a day we have not forgotten as a country. Pearl Harbor was the greatest terror attack on the US up until 9/11. During WWII, the US dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese town, Hiroshima. Many presidents have visited Hiroshima, though President Obama was the first sitting president to do so (others did so before or after their presidency). I find this move by the Japanese Minister to be very honorable, and continues to show that we have a strong and humble relationship with Japan. How do you believe this relationship will change with the next president, Donald Trump? Or do you feel it will stay the same, and continue to grow?
You can read this article online here, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/world/asia/shinzo-abe-pearl-harbor-japan.html?_r=0
BYU Kennedy Center Live 
I think it is amazing that the Prime Minister of Japan is visiting the United States, and on top of that Pearl Harbor. It is a big step in advancing an even more peaceful relationship between the governments and putting the past behind. I think it was especially great that President Obama took the first step in visiting Japan. I hope the relationship continues to grow, yet I honestly am fearful about Donald Trump’s attitude. Since he is known to being impulsive and harboring bitterness against those who have harmed the US, I fear the growing relationship between US and Japan will take a halt.
The decision made by the Japanese Prime Minister to visit Pearl Harbor is a peaceful international policy move. It seems to be a reciprocation of President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima, made in the final months under the Obama administration. But past this, I wonder if this decision to visit Pearl Harbor will further open the international discussion surrounding nuclear weapons. With Obama’s last few months in office, I wonder if this issue will become a priority, considering the boisterous and dangerous comments of his successor in regards to nuclear policy. Hopefully, even more peace and communication can be instilled throughout the international community, especially involving relations between the United States and Japan, as a result of this interaction.
I agree with katherinehayes123, I believe that Pres. Obama’s visit to Hiroshima opened a new door and showed a new side to history, a side that’s consequences are not talked about as much as its success. I agree when she wondered if this issue would become a priority. The history that will be written in the next four years will affects the relationships the US has with the world for generations to come.
I think that Obama has done a really good job in nurturing relations with Japan. Even though Trump has said that nuclear weapons are not going anywhere and that they should be used when necessary opposed to Obama saying that they are never the solution, I think that the relations with Japan will remain strong. It is true that Trump has caused some fear and uncertainty, but he has done a good job conciliating the divided groups in the country. Japan is also a very mature country and I do not think that they will be jumping on any conclusions without any facts.
This move from the Prime Minister of Japan is great and the connection between the U.S. and Japan is becoming stronger. Japan and U.S. relations have proved beneficial in many circumstances including help after the 2011 tsnunami and defense against enemy nations. The future looks great for these two strong nations.
Having relatives that have lived and fought in relations to the outfall of Pearl Harbor I felt an emotional connection to this article. I think the Prime Minister made a very smart and courageous move by doing this. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future between the United States and Japan.
I like that Mr. Abe is reciprocating President Obama’s attempts to strengthen relations. Hopefully Trump will continue to build relations with other countries, but his rhetoric has not been promising.
I think that this is a great step towards better and more open diplomacy between the two countries. We have mistakes made on both sides. Accepting that and choosing to move past it while recognizing the mistakes is very important for both countries. I doubt that Trump will be able to keep the social dialogue as open as Obama did, since I do not see him recognizing that US may sometimes be in the wrong. It will be interesting to see how relations develop not only between these two countries, but countries around the world.