SESSION II . 75 prolong and prolong, indefinitely, this mass hysteria into a very real international problem CONARD: I would like to add a postscript to what Merril was saying in regard to the examination of the fishermen, In 1964 I was invited to go to Japan to examine the Japanese fishermen. I think this is the first time since you were there, Merril, that this invitation had been extended. When [arrived there I was surprised also, as you said, with the amount of pre:s coverage, a large number n.: sting the plane. I was taken to the American Embassy and they wanted to know exactly what it was all about and what we intended to do and say, and so forth, They seemed to be satisfied that everything was all right. And so we proceeded with the examinations at Yaizu. Dr. Kumatori (Reference 6) was the Japanese phy- sician who was ir charge of the examinations. Everything went along fine except that <verywhere we went in Japan we were besieged with reporters and television people who made a big to-do over the whole thing. Certainly it was apparent that even at that time, 10 years after the accident, the Japanese were still very sensitive about anything that had to do with radiation and particularly fallout. ROOT: I think this sensitivity, this continuing sense of outrage, persistently stimulated by the press, and exploited by political parties, stems directly from the 1954 shot and was exacerbated by our handling of it. I was in Japan in 1964. Asa journaiist I made contacts through fellow journalists with many officials, doctors, and scientists. They were far from reticent in our discussions. They may have been more outspoken with me because I came with their own friends or acquaintances and was not on an officia: mission or connected with government activity. They told me that the widespread reaction of horror crystallized into anti- American sentiment; channeled into political segments; mobilized women who had never before had any political interest; infuriated the whole country. Many called it the third U.S. atomic attack, FREMONT-SMITH: ROOT: This one? Yes, Bravo. FREMONT-SMITH: More so than Hiroshima?