Thursday, February 22, 2001

Family members of the nine high school students, teachers, and crew members missing from the Ehime Maru and others connected with them met with Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the Prime Minister's Official Residence and presented him with a list of requests. The Ehime Maru, a training vessel of Uwajima Fisheries High School in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, was accidentally rammed and sunk by the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS Greeneville off the island of Oahu, Hawaii, on February 10 (February 9 in Hawaii). The family members and others expressed their thanks for the efforts of Japanese government officials in Honolulu and asked that the government cooperate with their efforts to have the Ehime Maru salvaged, take part in the investigation into the cause of the accident, and see that their wishes were conveyed to U.S. President George W. Bush. The Prime Minister expressed his sympathy for their anguish and pledged the government's utmost efforts to see that their wishes were realized.