Ex-fishermen sue Japan Govt for redress over 1954 H-bomb tests

The group demands a total of 65 million yen, claiming that the Japanese government's reluctance to disclose radiation dose data relating to the hydrogen bomb tests prevented them from seeking adequate redress from the Japanese and U.S. governments.
It was the first such lawsuit, according to the group. It has 45 plaintiffs, namely 23 former crew members of 20 fishing boats that were operating in waters around the test site, 20 members of the families of their deceased former colleagues, and two supporters of the former fishermen.
They also claim the Japanese government failed to fulfill its duty to protect the health and lives of citizens as it did not carry out follow-up research on affected fishermen or provide support to them.
"We hope the government will fully understand the Bikini issue," former fisherman Yutaka Kuwano, 83, told a press conference. "We want compensation that satisfies every one of us," he said, stressing his determination to win the suit also for radiation-affected fishermen who have died.
Source: JIJI Press