UNITED STATS
ATOMIC ENERGY CCiuiiSSi WY
WASHINGTOY 25, D. €,
PEEELCRANDUM
;
TO
:; K, E. Fields, General Manager
FROM
: Cc,
dune 25, 1955
L.’ Dunham, M.D., Director
Division of Biology & Medicine
SUBJECT: REPCRT OF INJURY TO JAPANESE FISHERMEN
SYMBOL : BMA:BiY
‘
The following is eae report of available information
concerning a recent news story of Japanese Tishermen reported
to have been injured by fall-out.
This matter was referred
to at Meeting 1205, and Mr. McCool by memorandum of June 4,
1656, asked that we report any information we might have on
the incident.
On June 5, 195€, there appeared in the newspapers, a report
that a Japanese fishing vessel had been drenched with radioactive
rain and that two crew membersrere affected.
United Press release is attached,
-
A copy of the
c
On June 20th, this Division received a copy of a message
dated June 8th from Ambassador Allison to the State Department
worded as follows:
-
"UP STORY CX MISUHO MARU BASED ON UNVERIFIED JAPANESE
PRESS REPORTS AND DISCOUNTED CONFIDENTIAL AND UNOFFICIALLY
BY JAPANESE RADIATION EXPERTS, FCREIGN OFFICE NOW
ATTEIMIPTING CBTAIN ACCURATE REPCRT. NO FOLLG?-UP PRESS
PLAY."
The intermediate altitude trajectories (30,000 - 45,000
feet) were generally in the direction of the ship's reporte
positicn and also rain was reported to have fallen at about
the same time as arrival of the air mass from Bikini,
The
ship's captain, acecrding to the news report, reported there
were 45 counts on May 28th end 1,250 counts on May 30th.
These
vcers are meaningless without information e: to methods oP
surements, ete. Mnewing the type cf device
ttcneted, however,
the meatral phenemenology of Gictrinutieon
“ fall-out, it is
redinciy unlikely that the amcunt of fall-c ¢ et the distance
“i the chon (some 1,600 mites), eveniwith rein-:11, would have
nm ccecvete te produce the biological -2fects denerited for
4
crew,
Dererimant nf Pera:
Histone