 Sub captain said to have been aware of ship
Rumsfeld prepares order to limit civilian participation
A Tribute to the Missing
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By Sally Apgar
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Japanese vice minister for foreign affairs yesterday urged the U.S. government to salvage the Ehime Maru and thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident that resulted in the presumed deaths of nine crew members.
In what appeared to be a diplomatic show aimed at pushing for salvage of the ship, Yoshitaka Sakurada told reporters that the relationship between the two countries is solid in the aftermath of the Feb. 9 accident by the USS Greeneville, but that the Japanese fishing vessel that was sunk must be brought to the surface.
Speaking through an interpreter, Sakurada said that "salvaging the vessel is the strongest request held by the families, and we ask the U.S. to exhaust all possible measures to make this happen."
Sakurada said his understanding, after conversations with Adm. Dennis Blair and others, is that the decision about raising the ship "will be based solely on technical feasibility."
He said a team of Japanese salvage experts consisting of representatives from four government ministries and two private companies met Wednesday with U.S. officials.
The two teams of experts will meet again today, Sakurada said, and will work together to decide technical issues based on information that is being gathered by the Super Scorpio, an unmanned, remotely operated underwater vehicle.
Sakurada arrived in Hawai‘i shortly after the USS Greeneville rammed the Japanese ship that was training high school students. Twenty-six people were rescued, but nine remain missing and are presumed dead.
Sakurada also stressed that if the presence of 16 civilian guests aboard the fast-attack sub is found to have played a role in the accident, "that will lead to a very grave situation, and we think it would be inexcusable."
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