DAMAGE CAUSED BY H-BOMBS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27376, 15 June 1954, Page 8

DAMAGE CAUSED BY H-BOMBS

U.S. To Pay Japan Compensation

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) mu tt *x WASHINGTON, June 12. The United States soon would announce a lump sum to meet Japanese claims for damages resulting from the recent American hydrogen bomb test m the Western Pacific, a Reuter correspondent reported last night. Quoting informed officials, the correspondent said that more negotiations with the Japanese Government would be necessary before the amount of the United States offer was decided, but officials predicted it would be “sizeable.”

The Japanese Government has already announced its intention of paying about 58,000 dollars in an initial instalment to meet damage claims, and presenting the bill to the United States authorities

This payment would represent about two-tnirds of the Government-assessed damage sustained by the owners of more than 30 fishing boats who destroyed part of their Pacific tuna fish catches because of radioactivity, according to Tokyo reports.’ It would not cover personal damages to the crew of the Japanese fishing vessel, Fortunate Dragon, which was Fu in ™ wi , th dan gerous atomic ash after h . l hydrogen bomb explosion off Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

The United States Government has undertaken to pay compensation and medical expenses for the 23 members of the crew of the vessel, who are still undergoing extensive medical treatment for their injuries. .. £ Tol S yo report says Japanese scientists today found evidence of radioactivity 15 feet under the sea’s surface more than 80 miles from the Bikini atomic testing grounds. Radioactive reaction from tuna caught in the area was so strong that the scientists had to use larger Geiger counters than normal.