Japanese Miners To Protest

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30768, 4 June 1965, Page 13

Japanese Miners To Protest

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TOKYO, June 3. Four bodies remained buried today under tons of rock deep inside a southern Japanese coal mine where 237 men were killed in a gigantic gas explosion on Tuesday.

It was the third worst coalmine disaster in Japanese coalmining history and the second worst since World War 11. As recovery teams dug their way through thick rock falls 1500 ft underground in the Yamano colliery on Japan's main southern island of Kyushu, Japan’s 60.000strong Coal Miners’ Union prepared for nation-wide stopwork protest meetings tomorrow. Union members will rally at pit heads of mines throughout the country in protest at

alleged Government failure to bring in efficient safety measures to prevent disasters. Most miners at the site are still expected to be helping in the recovery of the four last bodies which may not be reached by diggers for another day or two. Other miners are assisting bereaved families of the dead in funeral arrangements. The Yamano management yesterday presented each of the bereaved families with a cheque for 100,000 yen (about £N.Z.IOO) as well as flowers for the funeral.