By Me ove —— ; eo he JOHN C, BUCHER, MD*. uy, Pe et MERRIL ETSENBU® 4 CONTAMINATION OF THE FUKURYU MARL ANC ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS CM GAPAN. PRELIM ONAP Se Odor & : , I have recorded some of the observaticns made during my visit to Japan to assist in tne various problems arising 2ut of the mishap ts th: Fukuryu Maru. © am sending this »°-cg =: ,2u at this time because you will no doubt want a preiinirary ~eocr’ cro’ “> my retum te the states _ in about 2 weeks, Thies memorandum is intended to augment tne report that Dr, Morton will submit to you, [ have attempted ‘> iintt myself to factors other 045 co see4 27 the croblem, with which A ee el re eit eR than those associates with the cit: Dr. Morton's greup a'e torcerrac, THE INCIDE™T The mishap which befell the Fukuryu Maru became known to the Embassy and the world or March 16 through reports in the Japanese press. This was two days after the 100-ton fishing vessel had returned to its hana port of Yaisu. The facts of the incident, as determined by the . Foreign Office and communicated (1) (1) te ‘ne Ambac ator, amo a fe... The course of the vessel from ita departure on January 27 to its re- turn to Yaisu on March 14 is plotted in Figure No. 1. At Oul2 hours on March 1 a streak of light reported by the crew is believed to identifv tho time of detonation. The vessel's position vas approximately 11° 53): north and 166° 3U4' east, This position .s only a ‘ew miles from the easternr dimit uf the Marshal. islands dange” area affect at that time, Two blasts ir succession were neacz about 7 or 6 minutes after me (2) the light had been seen. The crew is reporzed :o have become apprehensive 23 .,9Q 2 (3) white, At about 0700 on Macch 1, asneeg oaganr r9 fali, turning the deck The position of the vessel at tnis -ime -s given at 11° 564s) nurth and 166° 42$ east. the position of che east. The ashes ceo" esse] waa estiva’ (alling v7qti a oat whim 785 ‘ time Dex ba t8thied 3g cine . ce vessel headed north "to get ®C2 Om 8200.19 continued until 1030 nours, at wnic 2 out of the area". ae and began at that time to naul in their Msiing .ines, an operation which . . we, . * (1) Aide Memoire ©" gaccr # °