Archive description
Unconfirmed reports of some blistering and low white corpuscle counts in japanese fisherman following a bikini event. Dbm discounted the rep orts as unlikely.
Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
Note by the Secretly 1. At Xeetjing 1205 on June 1, 1956, during discussion of the monthly report by the Division of Biology and Medicine,- Mr. Strauss inquired about an unconfirmed report that a Japanese fisherman, who had been outside the danger area for Operation RBDIJING, had developed blisters supposedly from exposure to radiation from the tests, ._ 2. Attached for the informatrcn of the-Commission is a memorandum submitted by the Director of Biology and Medicine - in response to the above inquiry.
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The folloxlng Is a report of available information concerning a recent nexs story of Jacenese fishermen reported to have been injured by fall-out. This mztter xas referred to at Iketlng 1295, and l*ir. FicCool by memorandum of June 4, - 1956, asked that xe the incident. report any information :re might have on On June 5, 1956, there appeared in the newspapers, a report that a Japanese fishing vessel had been drenched with radioactive rain and that two crew membersrere affected. United Fress release is attached, A copy of the On June 20th, this Division received a copy of a message dated June 8th from Ambassador Allison to the State Department worded as follows: PRESS REPCRTS AND DISCO-UNTZD CQSIDBWTIAL AND UXOFFICIALLY BY JAPANESE RADIATiOX EXPERTS. FCZEIGN OFFICE NC%!
Page 3
By the United Press. TOKYO, June 5-A Japanese sea C2~"U2i?~ said today the United States appeared to have explczed L hydrogen bomb Kay 28 without warning to ships in the ELkini Atoll area, Capt. Shinkichi Fiurata of the Kizuho Naru said his ship was drenched with radioactive rain, TXO of his crew were reported suffering an acute shortage of white corpuscles. "Ve were 1660 miles from Bikini ::.toll May 28 when a hydrogen device probably was exploded wi’,hout warning, ” he “It t!as raining that day and the entire crew wore raingear. Radioactivity then was only 45 geiger counts but it .We washed the Ship with soap and sea Japanese weather observers have cla!_med the United States employed a hydrogen device at Brkini Iday 28. They based their claim a recordings of earth and atmospheric shock waves . The United States has neither confirmed nor denied Kyodo !?e~s Agency said today that p‘::ysicians found an “acute shortage” in the white corpuscle count of two of the Examtnatlon of the crew came after the ship arrived at Kilhama on Sh5koku island yes terday from Xew Celedonia and The K’hi te corpuscle count of the re;r.ainder of the crew -.....-3 found to be about normal.
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