The robotic pet, such as Sony's Aibo, has become a popular form of entertainment and companionship for people who cannot keep real pets.
The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.
Hiroshima is a historic city on Japan's western coast, and is known for its Peace Memorial Park and Museum, dedicated to the victims of the atomic bombing.
