6M LEE Coo 2 MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION Date April 15 1935 Place Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tokyo Japan Participants Sadaaki Numata Director Security Division If Priscilla Political Military Officer 03 Subject MILITARX ACCIDENTS ON OKINRWA Distribution DCM USFJ Gen Phillips hand delivered 4 18 AmConsul Waha Ema J Jagger Numata called me'in to express MOFA's official concern about the recent series of military-related accidents on-Okinawa A number of Okinawan political figures including Uehara Tamaki Senaga and Ryan have called on North America Affairs Bureau Director 'General Kuriyama in the last few days leaving the impresion that the local atmosphere is hardening more than it has in the past Consequently MDPA feels it will be necessary to raise this prob lem at a higher level with the U S and is contemplating the possi bility that DCM Clark will be invited to visit Mr Kuriyama when he returns from Washington later this week Numata said that in view there are two issues 1 the question of seeing that discipline is strictly observed and 2 the question of taking-effective measures to prevent the recurrence 'of such incidents As an immediate measure MOFA would like the U 3 side to consider temporary suspension of training in Camp Hansen which is related to the transitional range and re- ducing the period of live firing now scheduled for April 16 so that there will be no night firing I told Numata that General Day has decided to cancel the night firing on the 16th and as we were sitting there word came from DEAA that the firing period would end at 6 00 PM instead of 8 00 PM When Makoto Watanabe talked with General Phillips earlier in -the day General Phillips expressed his concern and said he was talk- ing with General Day about remedial measures looking into all as- pects of the problem MOFA appreciates this Numata said Numate than recited a series of accidents that have occurred recently with special military vehicles - -- On March 6 at Issa in Ginowan City on Route trailer carrying a power shovel 5 2m high hit a 4 5m high overpass 'damaging the'bridge structure to'the tune o s 10 million The Joint Committee'hgreement_of 1973 relating to use of -Sagamihara Depot sets out procedures for informing the GOJ about movement by special VEhicles The 60 makes recommenda- tions regarding technical safety In this case 'thepGOJ was informed about the movement of the power shovel but apparently - was not informed that the shovel would be sitting on top of a trailer and miscalculations were consequently made as to height Thus it seems that the v 5 side did not follow procedures care- fully - -- 0n March 9 at Ihanashihara in Ishikawa City two tru k and' one jeep the two trucks were_pulling cannons took the wrong road and had to turn back In so doing they went into a sugar- cane field and destroyed some of the crop This seems to have been a clear case of negligence -- On March 19 in Hamakawa at Chattan at a traffic light on Route 58 a truck pulling a cannon collided with a passenger car which was stopped at the traffic light The driver suffered light injury There was prior notification that the special vehicle would be using that route but when the Ministry of Construction advised that the truck be led by an escort the advice was not followed On March 28 in Kin cho on Route 329 a truck pulling a mini- trailer swerved to the right to avoid a car crossing in front of it and went through the guardrail damaging a portion of a house adjacent to the guardrail USFJ claims that thisa as not a Special vehicle as defined in the Joint Committee Agreement but the Japanese side is not absolutely certain this is so On April 3 in front of an agricultural cooperative in Ginoza village on Route 329 a truck tried to overtake a bus and when faced with an oncoming car braked and slipped colliding with a stationary passenger car - There is a need to look hard at this concentration of accidents he said The more they happen the more difficult it becomes to defend U s Forces In the'past MOFh has told Okinawan political figures that it has conveyed Japanese concern through the Joint Committee but this time it would not be adeguate simply to repeat this procedure MOFA believes something more must be done for the smooth operation of the U S -Japan Security Treaty 1-3531 ENG When Uehara'met with Kuriyama he mentioned a meeting he had with Ed Featherstone in which he -- Uehara -- suggested a num- ber of measures that might be taken These included keeping cannons at Hansen or Schwab so that they would not have to be constantly transported between Zukeran and Hansen and limit- ing night transport - Mr Kuriyama would also like to discuss two specific points with Mr Clark First that concern be conveyed at the highest level to see that more discipline is enforced and second that some visible measures be taken to'correct situations that have led to the recent string of incidents 15 4 16 85 Tu - 25% mild E Hi '96 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu