ng ollowing sequence of events difficultics we hayetfad: ‘ (1): On March: 32 we read in one of ® papere of two fishing vessels tha* were core, glish language news- The Embassy called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who reported WQymmemmewing infomation by telephone: . ae (a) The Koei Neru, then at the port of UisaQiteweamecrocs, 22 minutes north, 178 degrees, 19 minutes erst on March “eons of the ship was re ading 2443 counts por minute, the catch n minute and the men S00 counts per minute. The fish had bee od awalting a decision as t> their safety, (b) The Myojiim Maru was at Shiogone. On March 12 it Gags degrees, § minutes north, 177 degrees, 19 minutes east. The surYatch the ship was reading 50 to 00 counts per minute, the fish 56 to 84 cousin per minute, and the crew 40 to 90 counts per minute, (2) The Embassy infcrmed the Ministry of Welfare of my interest in ver. ing the ships and fish and told them a special plans would be available to fly me to the two ports. The Foreign office was requested to arrange for | access *o the vessels and was invited to send whoever they wished to designate with me on this trip. A flight was scheduled for early on the morning of April 2. i (3) Around noon on April 1 the Foreign Ministry called °- and advised that the Myojiim Maru had left Shiogone the* <crn..., -- - destination was not known, and that the fish. had been disposea of in an unknown manner. The Embassy informed the Foreign Minictry that, this be- hour off port but the Japanese stated this could not be accomplished. To summerisg the tuna situation, it is my belief that no significantly contaminated tuna have arrived in Japan except for the catch from the Fukuryu peryrsenj20G (4) . At Ub PM on the afternoon of ‘April 1 the Frreign Ministr. again called to inform the Embassy that the Koei Naru had left the port of “isaki one hour before to dump its contaminated catch at sea. The Bnbassy asked the Foreign Ministry to call the vessel back inasmuch as it was only one oOl’oozs BIG GoC° ing the case, we would limit our trip to Wisaki. Marue Rigerous inspections procedures will undoubtedly disclose certain amounts of low level radioactivity on the surface of the tuna but the significance of this is minimized by the practice of skinning tuna Fricr to canning. In the meantime the tuna market has stabilized and turo representatives of Amcrican tuna interests have informe? we that wv eir companies are no longer concerned over the problem. AR fe A He Ma ee a Sede Lheihe wer neds ha ba na Ma ack . ea ro ye