Mori Visits Ehime Maru Collision Site off Oahu Island

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on Tuesday visited the site of last month's collision between a U.S. Navy submarine and a Japanese high school fisheries training ship that left nine Japanese lost at sea off Oahu Island, Hawaii.

Mori, who traveled to Hawaii on Tuesday morning following a one-day summit with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington on Monday, visited the scene of the accident, about 18 kilometers south of Oahu Island, by boat later in the morning.

Mori told family members of the missing who were aboard with him that during their meeting, Bush said he will do everything possible to speed raising the ship and paying compensation for the victims, and said that the president is willing to make an effort for the family members.

Four relatives, including Mitsunori Nomoto, 53, the father of Katsuya, a high school student, as well as Vice Gov. Mizue Maeda of Ehime Prefecture, traveled to the collision site with Mori.

The family members threw flower bouquets into the water at the site and prayed for the victims while the prime minister stood by.

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/