Victim's family calls for 'No more Ehime Marus'

Parents of a victim of the "Ehime Maru" tragedy recently visited the United States to remind people of the incident caused by the U.S. Navy.

Terada Ryosuke and Masumi lost their 17-year-old son Yusuke, a fisheries high school student, when training ship Ehime Maru was hit and sunk by the U.S. nuclear submarine Greenville off Hawaii in February 2001.

In Washington D.C. on October 25, the Teradas participated in an anti-war rally holding placards they wrote, "No more Ehime Maru tragedies! Our son was killed by a U.S. Navy sub in 2001."

Yusuke's father Ryosuke said, "Although Japan's government has repeatedly told us that the U.S. Forces are taking measures to prevent similar accidents, we don't know how much it has pressured the U.S. to make such efforts. As long as the U.S. government wages war against other countries with the world's strongest military forces, it will create more victims."

Mrs. Terada said, "My sadness over my son's death has been getting deeper the last two years. We came to the U.S. to tell people not to forget about the tragedy and the victims."

On October 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Masumi stated at the National Lawyers Guild National Convention, "I realized that I could sow the seeds of peace by telling the story of my son."

In New York, the Teradas had a chance to meet members of the Peaceful Tomorrows, a group of family members of the 9.11 victims. "We are grateful to see the great power for peace here in the U.S.," said Ryosuke. (end)