of its population earn their livelihood in the fishing industry or one of
its allied industries.
The 23 crewmen served as the "human interest" focal
point as the Japanese community was faced with a potential, tragic, financial
disaster to a segment of its economy.
The Fukuryu Maru accident was fortuitous, however, for Dr. Tsuzuki
is a shrewd, brilliant medical politician.
He is a master at utilizing
rumor to his advantage by allowing true statements to carry the burdens of
falsehood; he will deny the latter only when confronted openly.
was a Rear Admiral in the Japanese Navy during World War II.
Dr. Tsuguki
Rumor has it
that he signed the surrender aboard the U.S.S. Kissouri as the representative
for the Japanese medical profession.
Though this is not true, it gives him
tremendous prestige with foreign scientists and with many of his owm country-
men.
Dr. Tsuzuki headed the Japanese team that immediately went into Hiro-
shima following the A~-bomb in 1945.
His reports were sent to SCAP and thence
to the United States; thereafter American doctors utilized his data without
regard to the moral and scientific obligation of giving him due credit,
It
is believed throughout Japan that Dr. Tsuzuki never had returned to him his
laboriously-prepared classic medical reports from the Americans.
Dr. Tsuzuki
has received his reports, but he has never bothered to inform most of his
colleagues of this fact.
It is undoubtedly true. that Dr. Tsuzuki never
harvested the accolades and acclaim due him for his pioneer work.
When the dmerican team offered to investigate the 23 fisnermen on a
“Joint commission" basis, this wes immediately turned down by Dr. Tsuzuki,
on the basis that the U. 5S. was not again going to receive data and glory
US DOE ARCHIVES