He specifically did not apologize for that.
He doesn't need to say "I apologize" - his actions and the visit speak volumes. It's a deliberate provocative act from a president that, in my opinion, hates his own country and the West in general. He specifically brought up the bombings when he did not need to - and he visited the places that were bombed. And the timing of his visit was also obviously deliberate. I don't see any other country like China doing the same (also victims of Japan at one point).
I just find it completely ridiculous. Whether he utters "Sorry" or not. It's an apology in all but words, and he knows what a massive backlash he'd get if he said it. Instead he talks about how bad nuclear weapons are - and skirts around the full-on apology as a compromise.
Trump called him out on it too. And from what I am gathering he has also been using the event to push his agenda of anti-Trump?
“I held his hand, and we didn’t need an interpreter,” Mr. Tsuboi, 91, said later. “I could understand what he wanted to say by his expression.”
Can't wait until he's gone.
Instead of politicians laying wreaths and talking about the actions of the past, perhaps they can look to the present. Thanks largely to the action and inaction of spineless politicians, we have the worst thing since Nazism trolling the globe (Islamic State - who Obama likes to call ISIL - a name that they no longer even go by). I find the current predicament far more important than past predicaments. But Obama clearly doesn't. He's done sweet FA about Islamic State or some other big issues. He's sat around talking a lot and doing very little.
Lastly, someone posted this
Let's see now. Cuba, Vietnam, Japan...yep, he's hitting them all for decisions made by past Presidents. Still waiting for an apology for the war on crime by Clinton. How about apologizing for Wall Street? Oh, you fixed it? Tell that to Trump and Sanders voters? The only thing you did for me was to stop Hillary from being President. Twice now. First in 2008, and now 2016, thanks to your exposing the true leftist agenda. YOU have divided this country as never before. Don't play the victim, it was YOUR hatred of America....
I agree. Although I'd say Vietnam was a true crime and one where an apology was needed. And has probably been given numerous times?
Edit.
Here's the thing. The left love bringing the past up and initiating discussion about past atrocities or wrongs, because it creates division and a victim mentality. Obama really has been a massively divisive president. Trump and Clinton will be too - but for different reasons.