at - ’ Tuna ‘shipments involve many fish and it is not an easy. J. wl: matter to monitor properly with inexperienced personnel and only~ Loe a few survey instruments, Based on my inspection of the Batan, .- I suggested that every tenth fish be monitored for about 1 : minute by passing an open window GM probe over the surface of the fish, paying particular attention to the gills. [I also. instructed them to insert the probe into the mouth of the fund and into the abdominal incision through the fish, . There remained the question of criteria for rejection of. fish found to be contaminated. Again it is not a simple matter to evaluate the risk to a consumer of tuna from measurements eG made in this way. I informed the Japanese that I was unable. ._ - -. to propose a realistic figure without some study. On the other ~ kind it was my belief that significantly contaminated fish were rot likely to be found. Low level fall out to the skins of the fish was, of course, a possibility. This seemed tobeof little significance in view of existing cannery practices which strips: the skins from the fish when processing begins. I told the-- - Japanese I would be standing by in Tokyo, that they should con-_. tinue to monitor the fish by the method I proposed, and that when and if contaminated fish were found I should be advised 7 . and given the opportunity immediately to make a first hand in-~ spection of the fish, I found. My recommendations would depend on what +. . Le oe Oo No contaminated tuna have been brought to my attention. -: 3:, Newspapers have occasionally reported incoming shipments of con=" : taminated fish but the Japanese had not requested that r make an * examination of them. . ; wk The following sequence of events illustrates some of the ~ difficulties we have hads .. (1) On March 31 we read in one of the Tokyo English language. newspapers of two fishing vessels that were contaminated. The Fisbassy called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who neported the following information by telephones ; (a) The Koei Maru, then at the port of Misaki, was at -Q degrees, 22 minutes north, 178 degrees, 19 minutes east on’ ifarch.1. The surface of the ship was reading 2443 counts per minute, the catch 155 counts per minute and the men 500 counts pr rer mi inute. The fish had been impounded awaiting a decision as to their safety. (b) The Myojiim Maru was at Shiogone. - On March 1 4t was at 29 degrees, 8 minutes horth; 177 degrees, 19 minutes east, The surface of the ship was reading 50 to 400 counts per minute, the fish 56 to 84 counts per minute, and the crew 40 to 90 counts | per minute. (2) The Embassy informed the Ministry of Welfare of my . interest in seeing the ships and fish and told them a special plane would be available to fly me to the two ports. The Foreign Office .was requested to arrange for access to the vessels and was invited ..-, to send whoever they wished to designate with me on this trip..-.-/%. A flignt vas scheduled for early on the morning of April 2, -_“ <= _-