Pope Francis mourned in Japan by atomic bomb survivors, others

During the first papal visit to Japan in 38 years, the pope, known for his strong advocacy for the sanctity of life, called for the elimination of nuclear weapons in addresses delivered in the two atomic-bombed cities. "I hoped he would recover and continue advocating for peace around the world," said the 83-year-old, who had handed a letter to the pope at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima at the time, asking him to call on world leaders to stop war. Shigemitsu Tanaka, 84, who attended, as chair of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, the pope's speech in the city, recalled that the pontiff had prayed for a long time for atomic bomb survivors and peace despite the heavy rain.