Damage to Tuna Fishing Boats: US Navy Should Face Issue with Sincerity

http://watchingamerica.com/News/240827/damage-to-tuna-fishing-boats-us-navy-should-face-issue-with-sincerity/

The Japanese government should not passively look on. It instead should be proactive and mediate between the fishermen and the U.S. Navy.

Damage to Tuna Fishing Boats: US Navy Should Face Issue with Sincerity
Ryukyu Shimpo, Japan
By Editorial
Translated By Maisha Kuniyuki
10 June 2014
Edited by Gillian Palmer

The U.S. Navy has responded for the first time to allegations of the involvement of United States Naval Ship Impeccable (T-AGOS-23) in recurring incidents in mid-May of tuna fishing boats’ long lines being severed in waters near the main island of Okinawa.

With ambiguous statements of how it understands the losses of the fishermen, however, the U.S. Navy has not fully admitted the survey ship’s involvement. Taking statements from eyewitnesses into consideration, the probability that the Impeccable is involved is high. It is insincere for the U.S. not to admit it is at fault. The U.S. should cooperate fully and investigate the matter.

Going through the Okinawa Defense Bureau, Okinawa Prefecture and Okinawa Fisheries Cooperative Association have been asking the U.S. for more information regarding this issue. On June 7, this paper reported that the Impeccable had sailed repeatedly across waters where a fishing boat’s captain had found his long line damaged.

The captain, standing with his crew about 800 meters away, also took pictures of the Impeccable sailing by. From these pictures, you can clearly see cables from the Impeccable hanging in the water. This is irrefutable proof that the U.S. vessel was involved; it cannot be denied.