h_ o> . - , fs v <n, eh ee ee ote ct With the decision cf the United States Food and Drug Administration o monitor inconing shipments of tuna, the shippinzs companies operating 1% of Japan initiated a requirexent that the Japancse certify export scioments as being free of racioactivity, eo ot a . ‘ \ . . ‘ ‘ st nti we a Ondeeenbelen te tn se ENNbd beten mereedatembmatineetne ot mel Ob tn beemte fish w2s a wise one, There is reason to dSclieve that contamination was ecnfince to the surface of the fish an2 occured wren the ratioactive asos fcll ant. entered the ships hol¢c, When I arrivod in Japan on March 22, the Japanese had alreacy monitored their first outgoing shipment of frozen tuna, The Ministry of Welfare undertook to have its sanitation inspectors trainec in the use of geiser counters anc began the routine inspection of both incoming and outgoing tuna at five ports, <All vessels were instructed to return to one af these ports, Five seizer counters were obtainec from the Far East Command and 1 loaned to the Japanese, In ad¢cition, they mustered approximately the sane nunber from verious scurces in Javan, ; Cn March 24, at a conference with the Japenese Government officials, they asked for ny recommenCation for maximum permissible contamination. They also asked that I recommenc the kind of examination that shoulé be nace of the fish, Because of my unfamiliarity with the mechanical Ceteils of handling tuna shipments, I suzgestcc that I be permitted to stucy tuna loscing opsrations scheculed for the following day, Thereupon it was arranged that I snovl. accompany Japanese officials to Yokohena where the Satan as Deing loacea with frozen albacor, wee Tune siilpnaents involve many fish and it is n sroperly with inexpericnce¢e personnel and only a5 few surv yeyinstrumen nts. Based on ny inspection of the Baten, I suggestedthat everytenth fishtbene: monitored for about 1 minute by passing an open wincow GM: probe® over the > surface of the fish, paying particular attention to the gills. I also instructee thea to insert the probe into the mouth of the tuna anc into tne abcominal incision through the fish, - There remaineé the question of criteria for rejection of fish found to be contaminated. Again it is not a simple matter to evaluate the risk to 2 consumer of tuna from mcasurcrents made in this way. I informed the Jaoanese that I vas unable to propose a realistic fizure. without sone stucy. On the other hand it was ny bolicf that sisnificantly contaminated fish were not likely to be founé, th caeieten Gmananatblninen. 2 eatin tanmee eineatt mien ante s+ fish was, of course, a possibility. Low level fall out to the skins of the This seemed to be of little significance in view cf existing cannery practices which strips the skins from tle fish when processing begins, I told the Japanese I woulc be stancing by in Tokyo, that they shovle continue to monitor tt fish by the tethoc I © proposed, anc that when ané if contaninated fish were found I should be acvised and given the opportunity immcdiately to make a first hané inspection £ the fish, My recommendations woulk. depenc on what I found. Ko conteninated tuna have dDcen brought to ny attontion., Newspapers heve occasionally reportec incomin: shipmonts of contaminated fisn out th Japanese had not reqnestec that I meke an examination of then,