Posted on: Tuesday, April 24, 2001

Japan closes book on fatal sub crash

Associated Press

TOKYO — The Japanese government said today that it will not demand tougher punishment for Cmdr. Scott Waddle, the captain of the submarine USS Greeneville, which sank a Japanese high school fisheries training vessel off O'ahu in February, killing nine.

"The Japanese government considers that the U.S. government has acknowledged all responsibilities regarding this incident," said Kazuhiko Koshikawa, spokesman for Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

Waddle was given a letter of reprimand yesterday as punishment. Waddle said he will retire Oct. 1.