creation of the Special Joint Committee Concerning Rongelap and Utirik Atolls of the Congress of Micronesia under Public Law No. 4C-33 have already been outlined in the Committee's Interim Report of May 16, 1972. However, since only a limited number of copies (100) of that report were printed, and since other developments have transpired since that time, the Committee feels a brief review for background purposes should be included here. The Interim Report indicated that in 1971, Congressman Ataji Balos in whose representative district live the Rongelapese, had invited a Japanese survey team headed by a Dr. Ezaki and a DrHonda 1954 fallout. to study the victims of the He had invited the team, he said, because the peoples of Rongelap and Utirik had become suspicious that the AEC~sponsored team was not treating them properly, as indicated in the preceding section. His idea was to invite the Japanese team in order to provide comparative medical opinions. In November, 1971, Representative Balos attempted to secure permission for the entry of the Japanese from the Trust Territory Government. By December no answer had been received, and the Japanese in their impatience to come, entered the Trust Territory with tourist permits, hoping to straighten out their status after arrival. No small amount of confusion then ensued. First, the acting Attorney General ruled that they did not appear to be a bona fide medical survey team and thus cables flew back and forth between Majuro and Saipan. Finally, the acting Attorney General reversed his approach and ruled that the group was indeed a research team, but because they had entered under a tourist permit could not change their status and would have to return to Japan. This they did, without completing any extensive examinations. On January 26, 1972, during the Second Regular Session of the Fourth Congress of Micronesia, in Palau District, Congressman Balos delivered a speech on the fo1n724 122