4
Te ee a ew meee me ec ee ee Bon emcee
tteeins Se catNN oa Ms on eh ee ee ae sk
.
.
- HOUSE JOURNAL -- 16th DAY
-
before the arrival of the team and attending newmen (sie) insisted
that ‘time is precious' and demanded a definite decision and ‘the
temporarily denied raason thereof.*
"It was in this context that the medical team and entourage
actually arrived on Dec. 7.
On Dec. 6, Rep. Balos had requested
MLSC Lo step into the case and formally represcnt himself and the
Rone lapMunicpal (sic} Council in the continuing negotiations
with the AG.
Neither Ataji nor myself had any knowledge of the actual
ingress into the TT of the grovp.
Ataji had assumed that they would '
remain in Japan until permission had been obtained from Saipan. Each”
of
the
members of. the group obtained a US visa in Japan and apparently
. Gecided to enter the Trust Territory as tourists and clear up the’:
business of government approval to do their actual work after their
arrival.
It should also be noted that the group had made a rather rn
confused and incomplete application to Saipan before their ccparture¢.
The initial application stated that only one doctor was in the party a
listed additional members as ‘labor leaders.'
, ad
.
"The medical team was sponsored by the Gensuikon, the Japan
*Congress against Nuclear Weapons.
This organization is base: in
Hiroshima end is informally affiliated with the Socialist Party in
a.
‘Japan.
Gensuikon is not, hewever, a distinctly political organization
and, according to the newsmen accoxpanying the party, receives broad
. Bupport from a number of political elements in Japan.
ee Na
a!
*.
a
ts
"Rep. Balos initially corttacted Gensuikon during a visit to
Japan in August, 1971.
At that time, he explained to Gensuikon
‘that as representative of the pecple of Utrik (sic) and Rongelap
he had received continuous, factually sound complaints from the people
of, these islends ccencerning injuries resulting from nuciear fall-out
and, also, the failure of the AEC field teams to treat many individual
victims or properly report the ecological and physical det2rioration
'
accruing on the islands as a result of the March
2954 bomb tests on
» Bikand:
Gensuikon had been instrumental in assiting
{sic)
the crew
onmers of the Lucky Dragon, the Japanese fishing boat affected by the
Bore Mab test, in their efforts to obtain compensation from the UD. Se
government.
Perhaps for that reason, Gensuikon acree@ to organize :)°
_ and Sponsor a medical team to visit the Utirik and Rena Lap atolis
"The team was headed by Dr. Ximi Honda, a specia:
“ymedicine and member of Gensuiken.
t in internal
At the request of i--la Thomas,"
'the head of the Ronglap (sic) Municipal Council, Dr. '
affiliated himself with the effort.
-«us-Exaki “5;
Dr. Ezaki is a yo. ..«ainent-{sic)
specialist in thyroid disorders causeé by radiation
+ is head,of
the Department of Radiology at the University of Hin. . +a. The. 7
an remainder of the group wes composed of tro merbers of
Gerve as assistants
to the doctcrs,
a
translator and@ 3)
* ssuikon ts
Logrepher
Four ewsmen from the largest new Spapers, in Japan attensed the te m.
'
_ One {pdividsal whO was returning to Micyonesia from Capan on the oura'plane as the medical team stated tat at Jeast fifty people. fron
othes news sources and live te iuvision ‘overage ettendcd the Gepa rure
of& 0 group frem the Tokyo al:port on Tec. 6th.
_
°
~"On the morning of Dec. 8, 1971, 2 reeting “es held in the Kitij:
cheshers ettended by pyself, lap. Bezios and me coatings st from Jape2n.
Tnis was my first knewlecge of the medical -yan's (sic) actual presence
--in Eajuro. They expleined that they hag ejsered as tourists and regu:
that we take inreliate steps te obtain perzsesios (sic) to change
that status WS. Ci y-covld begin cisir, Morte oh hectic gxerination oO;
“102
*
BOE ARCHIVES
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