Japanese Complicity in Vietnam War

The following article which appeared in the latest issue of the ECONOMIST shows just how far Japanese big business and its Government, are involved in the Vietnam war: "The Japanese will not be at next week's Manila meeting of America's allies in the Vietnam war, since officially they are not involved in it. Yet not only is Japanese industry "uminvolved" to the tune of £200 million this year in American military procurement, plus another £500 million in export indirectly due to the war to Formosa, South Korea, the Philippines and the United States; a Japanese-manned fleet of 25 tank landing ships is operating with the Seventh Fleet off Vietnam. The 2,300-ton vessels, which sail under the American flag, carry supplies and sometimes soldiers. They call at ports along the coast and go up rivers to American battle positions. As convoys approach South Vietnam, they are protected by Seventh Fleet air patrols and by escorts of destroyers or minesweepers. So far none has been attacked at sea, but three have been fired on by guerrillas. One Japanese seaman has been killed and another wounded. Crews are recruited by American naval offices in Yokohama and Sasebo, an American naval base, by the city employment bureau and by a branch of the shivpiig bureau of the Japanese transport ministry. Though crews sail without the protection of Japanese laws on conditions and insurance of seamen, waiting lists for the job are long and few men have quit. Unskilled seamen are paid a basic salary of £40 a month, captains up to £240. "Hazardous duty" pay enables the average seaman to send home about £130 a month. On top of this come "attack bonuses": £27 for an attack at sea, £18 if the ship is attacked while it is berthed. Japan's opposition parties have missed few opportunities to protest against the use of Japanese seamen in the Vietnam war under an agreement that was originally made without the knowledge of the opposition. They are waiting for the first heavy casualties to step up pressure on the Liberal-Democrat government, The prime minister, Mr. Sato, evades official responsibility by calling the sailors "mercenaries" - as indeed they are. But American recruiting officers, recognising the political dangers of the deal, have heom hiring renlarementea in Ganth Wares and Okinawa"