The 1954 U.S. hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific that showered fallout on the crew of a Japanese trawler had far-reaching effects, a former teacher said Sunday.
The incident severely damaged the fisheries industry in the city of Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, the home port of the Fukuryu Maru No. 5, and caused the 23 crew members and their families to become victims of discrimination, Toshihiro Iizuka, 73, said.
"Fish from Yaizu were shunned after the irradiation of the Fukuryu Maru was reported, causing a plunge in marine product prices, while the crew members of the vessel and their families faced prejudice and discrimination as people believed radiation was contagious," Iizuka said.