Collision victims' families receive medical bills from Hawaii

Japan Policy & Politics, April 2, 2001

MATSUYAMA, Japan, March 28 Kyodo

Bills for medical treatment have been sent to the homes of Japanese students rescued after the Feb. 9 sinking of their fisheries training ship by a U.S. nuclear submarine, sources close to the families said Wednesday.

The bills were sent beginning in mid-February, although the U.S. and Japanese governments agreed that the U.S. Navy will shoulder the medical expenses of the rescued victims of last month's collision.

The Ehime prefectural government said it is advising the families to scrap the bills sent to them from hospitals in Honolulu, where victims were treated at one point. It believes there was a mix-up in the hospitals' clerical procedures.

Family members have protested being billed, saying it has dampened the victims' sentiments.

Following the accident off the Hawaiian island of Oahu, the students, who were among the 26 rescued in the mishap, were taken to various hospitals and underwent treatment.

According to the prefectural government, the bills have so far been sent to the homes of four students. In one instance, a student received separate bills from two hospitals where he was treated.

The 499-ton Ehime Maru of Uwajima Fisheries High School in western Japan sank after being struck by the 6,080-ton U.S. sub Greeneville, which was conducting a rapid surfacing demonstration for 16 civilian guests. Nine Japanese were lost at sea.