Shigeaki Mori, Hiroshima Bombing Survivor Embraced by Obama, Dies at 88

TOKYO – Shigeaki Mori, a Japanese atomic bomb survivor in Hiroshima and a historian, has died at the age of 88. He was best known for a heartfelt embrace he shared with then-U.S. President Barack Obama during Obama’s historic 2016 visit to the city.

Mori passed away at a hospital in Hiroshima on Saturday, March 17, 2026, according to reports from the Associated Press and CBS News .

A Childhood Marked by Tragedy

Born in 1937, Mori was just eight years classic when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. He survived the blast, which occurred approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from his location . Remarkably, he had transferred to a different elementary school shortly before the bombing, sparing him from the fate of all his former classmates who were present in the school building at the time of the attack .

Uncovering the Fate of American POWs

Approximately 30 years after the bombing, Mori discovered a little-known fact: American prisoners of war (POWs) held in Japan were among those killed by the atomic bomb. Driven by this revelation, Mori, while working full-time, dedicated himself to researching U.S. And Japanese official documents to identify the 12 American POWs who perished in the attack . He then wrote letters to their families in the United States, informing them of the circumstances of their loved ones’ deaths.

A Historic Embrace

Mori’s work and his personal story gained international recognition during President Obama’s visit to Hiroshima in May 2016 – the first by a sitting U.S. President. Images of Obama and Mori embracing at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park were widely circulated, symbolizing a moment of reconciliation and shared grief . Mori reportedly shed tears during the embrace .

Legacy and Remembrance

Mori authored “The Secret of the American POWs Killed by the Atomic Bomb,” which was published in Japanese in 2008 and later translated into English. The book earned him the prestigious Kikuchi Kan Prize . His dedication to uncovering the truth and fostering understanding between nations leaves a lasting legacy.

The U.S. Atomic attack on Hiroshima instantly destroyed the city and killed tens of thousands. The death toll reached 140,000 by the end of 1945. A second bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed another 70,000.