Japan’s FM learnt of radioactive leak from US sub on TV

AFP
Saturday, Aug 2, 2008

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura berated his subordinates Saturday for failing to notify him of a radioactive leak from a US nuclear submarine, saying he learnt of the incident on television.

The communication glitch came the same day that Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda installed a new cabinet to revive sagging public support for his government.

“This (Saturday) morning I was watching CNN, and even if I don’t understand English that well I saw that something strange was going on,” Komura, who retained the post in the new cabinet, told a news conference.

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“I therefore contacted (his subordinates) myself,” he said, adding that foreign ministry officials “should have shared the information faster” to enable him to make an announcement quickly.

The Japanese foreign ministry said it received the information from the US government on Friday afternoon.

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