ASSOCIATED PRESS Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle, right, offered flowers at the Ehime Maru memorial monument in Japan. Waddle, who is responsible for the February 2001 collision of his submarine with a Japanese school training ship, is on a private visit to the hometown of those killed in the incident.

Waddle’s Japan visit
no cause for fanfare

He visits the memorial to the
Ehime Maru and expresses sorrow

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By Mari Yamaguchi
Associated Press

UWAJIMA, Japan >> In a highly emotional visit today, the former captain of a U.S. nuclear submarine that collided with a Japanese fishing boat laid flowers at a memorial for nine people to offer his personal apology.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle offered prayers at the memorial in southwestern Japan for the victims of last year's submarine collision.

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle was at the helm of the USS Greeneville when it surfaced beneath the Ehime Maru on Feb. 9, 2001, sinking the student fishing vessel off the coast of Oahu, killing nine of the 35 people aboard.

Wearing a black suit and a tie, Waddle bowed deeply as he entered the victims' school with two American lawyers. He placed a wreath of white lilies before a monument to the dead, bowed in silent prayer and then read the victims' names aloud.

"May your spirits rest in peace," Waddle said, placing a message card of condolences with the wreath.

The vessel had been carrying students, teachers and crew from Uwajima Fisheries High School in this quiet town in Ehime province, about 420 miles southwest of Tokyo.

Waddle had vowed to visit the victims' hometown before retiring last October, but postponed the trip after Navy officials said the timing wasn't right.

In a note sent to Japanese media Thursday, Waddle apologized for the delay and said he hoped his visit might help "ease the pain of those who are suffering."

Last month, principal Kazumitsu Joko refused to let Waddle enter the school but later agreed to accept his visit. None of the school officials came to meet him, however, and no teachers or students came to see him pay his respects.

Many victims' relatives told state officials they did not want him to visit. Deferring to their wishes, local officials have not arranged an official ceremony or meeting with Waddle.

Only one family, who made a visit by Waddle to Japan a condition of reaching a settlement, has said they want to meet the former skipper. They are likely to meet with Waddle somewhere outside Uwajima, however.

Tsuguhide Suzuki, a Japanese lawyer helping with the visit, said Waddle may meet privately with several families and survivors in Uwajima later today.

Waddle was reprimanded by a U.S. military court of inquiry, which decided against a court-martial. He was allowed to retire at full rank and pension, raising criticism in Japan that he got off lightly.

Last month, the families of 33 people aboard the trawler agreed to a reported $13 million compensation package from the U.S. Navy. Negotiations between the Navy and two other families are continuing separately.

In April, the Ehime government agreed to $11.47 million in compensation from the U.S. Navy to cover the costs of the vessel, equipment, cargo, crew salaries, mental health care for the survivors and the costs for a memorial service. Part of the payment went toward the $9.25 million construction of a replacement vessel, which set sail Tuesday.