Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 25 - July 1 [POLITICS]

Defense bureau will support fishermen suffering from damages caused by US warship

Requested by the Japanese Communist Party, the Defense Bureau has decided to give necessary support to Okinawa fishermen suffering from damages caused by a U.S. warship.

It has been reported that a U.S. Navy ocean surveillance ship very possibly cut longlines of seven tuna fishing boats operating in the sea around Okinawa from May 12 through May 26.

As a longline costs between four and six million yen, the affected fishermen are very angry and said, “For us, this is a matter of life and death.”

The Okinawa Defense Bureau on June 24 informed the JCP Okinawa Prefectural Committee of the decision to provide indirect support within its capacity so that fishery operators can make a claim for damages to the U.S. Navy.

As preventive measures, the Okinawa JCP again requested that local fishermen be notified of operations and training exercises by U.S. battle ships in advance.