Hiroshima 'couldn't be helped', says Japan official

 JAPANESE defence minister Fumio Kyuma today said the 1945 US atomic
bombing of his country “couldn't be helped”, as the attacks led to the
end of World War II.
Government officials in Japan – the only nation to suffer an atomic
bombing – typically express sympathy for the victims, but avoid
criticising the attacks out of consideration for Tokyo's ties with
Washington, its closest security ally.
However, Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma went further in discussing the
bombing.
“My understanding is that it ended the war and that it couldn't be
helped. I don't intend to despise the US for it,” he said, the Kyodo
news agency reported.
“When it was dropped on Nagasaki, it was a tragedy,” he said, quoted by
Kyodo.
Mr Kyuma, 66, said he did wonder why the US had to use the bombs when
its victory against Japan was evident, but added that Washington may
have used them to try to prevent the Soviet Union from entering the war
against Japan.
Japan has been criticised for stressing its status as victim because of
the atomic bombings and failing to acknowledge its own war atrocities.
Mr Kyuma, whose electoral district includes Nagasaki, is known for his
outspoken comments, and has angered Washington with a string of
comments after assuming his post last September.
The minister has previously said the US was wrong to start the war in
Iraq and has criticised Washington for not having a post-war strategy.
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