Shigeaki Mori, a Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor and historian hugged by Barack Obama, has died at 88. The embrace occurred in May 2016 during Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima, the first by a sitting U.S. president, and was reported worldwide by media outlets.
Shigeaki Mori, a Hiroshima hibakusha and historian, has died at the age of 88, according to The Japan Times published on March 17, 2026. He drew global attention in May 2016 when he hugged Barack Obama during the U.S. president's first-ever visit to Hiroshima as a sitting leader. Media outlets worldwide reported scenes of the embrace. The event ties into contexts of atomic bombings, World War II, and U.S.-Japan relations, as noted in keywords: Hiroshima, Barack Obama, U.S., atomic bombings, WWII, obituary, U.S.-JAPAN RELATIONS, HIBAKUSHA.