Japan Eyeing Fishery Compensation over Dumping of U.S. Fighter Parts

February 25, 2018

Misawa, Aomori Pref.- The Japanese government is considering compensation to fishermen affected by a U.S. fighter's dumping of fuel tanks into a lake in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Aomori on Tuesday, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said on Saturday.

Showing the plan at a meeting with Aomori Governor Shingo Mimura in the Aomori city of Misawa, Onodera said, "We take the incident very seriously and will respond in a sincere manner."

The F-16 fighter released its fuel tanks over Lake Ogawara in the town of Tohoku following an engine fire that occurred soon after it departed from the U.S. Air Force's Misawa base. Several freshwater clam-fishing boats were operating at the time.

The fighter safely returned to the base later.

In talks with reporters after the meeting with the governor, Onodera said the U.S. side has explained that the incident has no implications for operations of other F-16 fighters.

Also on Saturday, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force salvaged many parts of the fuel tanks from the bottom of the lake and handed over them to the U.S. military. Jiji Press