DIG °~ INCOMING TELEGRAM."epartment of Stat’ Action Control: 4114 FE Rec'd: FROM: Tokyo info a TO: I - Secretary of State July 3:30 10, 1954 a.m. 408050 CPTOUST ad Ta Tae Sevan 79, July 10, e p.m. CoP wo: L PRIORITY SSA Reference Department telegram 447. P OLI T discussed on Wednesday with Okazaki general outlines of what US would be willing to do regarding compensation. Okazaki said considerable difficulty was being experienced by Foretgn Office _ SAE $/i rh LoiGe vee aes CIA with other Ministries such as Ministry of Agriculture and OCli all Ministers had now agreed that claims totaling approximately FOA ™~ Fisheries, who were insisting that compensation be made for indirect as well as direct damages. However, Okazaki said that _— $7 million were unreasonable and that US could not be expected to pay compensation to fishermen who had put out to sea and returned after they had known about experience of FUKURYU MARU. Minister of Agriculture was insisting that payment should be made to those fishermen whose ships were out at same time as FUKURYU MARU and who, therefore, had no advance knowledge of risks. He estimated total of damage suffered by such ships as - result disposal of catch approximated 300 million yen ($833,000). = & Foreign Office was being pressed to get psyment for this amount in addition to estimated 300 million yen direct damage. . YY . g8&doaf informed Okazaki that I was empowered to offer immediate set- a2 OWE az -Llement involving payment to Japanese Government of $750,000 which would in fact compensate for broadest possible interpretazefion of direct damages. JI went on to say I thought I could prob- Aceseszopbly offer an additional $100,000 which would be definitely in yeosf/wer being strongly pressed by other government agencies. I then sti on to say that I could not promise any additional funds ould be available although such might be the case. However, I b sencrye-CnbE RGY DEC (3255 25=aithe nature of a political gesture. Okazaki said that he and 2422523lYoshida head already agreed that this would be reasonable butthey was certain that it would not be possible to obtain a sum greater than $1 million without the necessity of going to Congress for a special appropriation. I pointed out that if this were necessary it would not only mean delay but would undoubtedly cause considerable criticism of Japan and that sll of the frustrations we had experienced in dealing with this matter would be brought to light with the probable creation of an anti-Japanese atmosphere which “would be most regrettable particularly if Mr. Yoshida planned to “ "MILITARY RESEARCH & APPL 7° go to the US REPRODUCTION FROM THIS Raa n 7 e— DOSqbered7YOYLS) ret canta hetet—a erm e= ware va Vote 1 : C252. copy, IF CLASSIFIED, 18. : PROH! BI TED Ss |