A-bomb lawsuit in Bikini Atoll Plaintiff's complaint not accepted Takamatsu High Court December 12, 18:08
65 years ago, the United States was exposed to a water bomb test in the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. The Takamatsu High Court rejected the plaintiff's appeal following the first trial.
In the hydro-bomb test conducted by the United States on Bikini Atoll in 1952, 23 crew members of Shizuoka Prefecture's fishing boat “Fifth Fukuryu Maru” were exposed. Former crew members and survivors of Kochi Prefecture's fishing boats that were operating in the vicinity at that time continued to hide records until the materials were disclosed five years ago even though they were also bombed, and health surveys were necessary. He appealed to the country for a condolence fee for continuing to leave without support.
The Kochi district court in the first trial acknowledged the fact that most of the former crew members were bombed, but rejected the complaint, so the plaintiffs appealed last August. The number of plaintiffs decreased due to aging, etc., and 45 in the first trial, but 29 in the second trial.
Takahisa Masuda, President of the Takamatsu High Court, on December 12, said whether the country continued to hide the record, “It was impossible to hide, because it was impossible to hide the exposure of the fishing crews from the nuclear test. `` It's not realistic to think that the intention to hide was taken over over the years as political parties changed a lot, but it was the easiest to discard if there was an intention to hide, but it is actually disclosed. '' The plaintiff's claim was not accepted.
“I can understand the claim that they should be relieved in the same way as Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors, but they are not obligated to treat them in the same way as the law that stipulates support for Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors. The government decided that the government had no legal obligation to investigate, support, or disclose the materials, "and rejected the plaintiff's complaint following the first trial.
Bereaved by the retirement of the former crew who died
At the interview of the plaintiffs held after the judgment, the shadows of former crew members and bereaved families who died during the trial were displayed.
Mr. Kazuma Masumoto (83), a former crew member who represented the plaintiff in 2nd trial and died of bile duct cancer on the 5th of this month, said, “It ’s been a week since my husband passed away. I think my husband said, “I'm really fooling the people.” The presiding judge was just saying “dismiss”, so I ’d like to convey that word to my husband. ” It was not. In addition, the survivor of the former bomb survivor, Takeshi Oguro, Setsuko Shimomoto, the eldest daughter (68), said, “I am sorry because I was expecting it.”
Mr. Masatoshi Yamashita (74), who has been investigating the “Bikini Incident” for over 30 years and has been supporting former crew members, said, “The former crew members who participated in the trial had a strong feeling of“ for fellows ”. “I am sorry because I have strongly thought that“ save these people. ”
Mr. Morimitsu Sugawara, the plaintiff's agent, said, “Because former crew members are aged, I would like to discuss the appeal carefully with the relevant parties,” and expressed his intention to consider future responses.