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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
May 20, 195%
LROMs
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=| Tokyo
Secretary of “tatc
SU3JECT; FUKURYU MARU
1, The end of the 1954 Pacific nuclear tests gives us
an opportunity for first assessment of the tmport of the FUKURYU
MARU incident for US-Japan relations, Full tnpltcations may
not be known for years, but certain conclusions of critical
import vo US policies are now possible.
2, The conclusions are unpleasant, some even ominous.
However, espionage or provocation by the vessel or crew do not
seem to be in the picture. No intelligence available to our
acencies has yet provided a basis for initial US suspicions.
Oisturbing policy implications flow, however, from Japanese
cfficilal response and national reactions to the incident.
Severe deficiencies in security, acministrative discipline,
cmotional stability, and cooperativeness have been exposed.
Fven theugh we understand the extraordinary emotional strain
this incident imposed on Japan, we will have to take inte account these weaknesses,
3. The emotionalism attending the incident here was the
L-roduct of the worst possible combination of factors:
Japan
°
.
“ith its World War II atomic leracy3; high ecas fishing areas,
cver which Japanese nerves already rubbed raw by closures of
troidittional open fishing zones on the part of Jarinese neighds.'s
end by selazurca of Junocent fishing vessels by Red China, USSa,
znd BOK; fish itself, which as the main item of Japanese diet
Lrougnt the Incident heme to every family and at the height of
the €una season,
.
thus affecting both food supply and dollar ex-
ports; and the Line of the accident where a variety of other
Pactors worsened a thoroughly bid situation.
,
(a) The incternt corresponded with the passage of
the first postwar appropriation for atomte cnergy research in Japin3; every ministry %and agency was asserting
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