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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
Date:
Subject:
Japanese Fishermen Who Suffered from Radioactive Fall
Out
Participants:
Copies to:
April 16, 1954
His Exellency Sadao Iguchi, Ambassador of Japan
Mr. Robert D. Murphy, Deputy Under Secretary
Mr. R. J. G. McClurkin, Deputy Director, NA
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Ambassador Iguchi came in at his request.
He said that he
had received a telegram from Foreign Minister Okazaki about compensation for the Japanese fishermen who had suffered from radio-~
active fall out as a result of the Eniwetok tests of the Hydrogen
Bomb. In general the Japanese Government hopes that there can
be a lump-sum settlement speedily and at a reasonable amount.
He emphasized the desirable results which would flow from an
early announcement of an intent to conclude such a settlements
Mr. Murphy said that there has been a certain degree of
axilety here about the way in which some parts of the Japanese
Government have handled this whole problem, In particular, we
have had real concern about the lack of accessibility to the
fishermen or their boat -- a situation which still applies even
to new arrivals of boats reported as having radioactive hulls or
cargoes, Mr. Murphy said that he wanted to say frankly that this
attitude of the Japanese Government which faced the United States
with a barrier of inaccessibility raised serious suspicions and
doubts.
Ambassador Iguchi said that: Ambassador Allison had written
to Prime Minister Yoshida oerectly to somewhat the same effect.
He himself had received a letter from Foreign Minister Okazaki-and he promised to send a copy tothe Department -- which commented
that the attitude of the American doctors was not quite appropriate from the Japanese point ofview. When they first saw the
patients there apparently had been.no word of consolation.
WAT ANonnsce