'D isarray" is the only word to accurately describe the Defense Ministry's disclosure of information related to the collision between the 7,700-ton Aegis destroyer Atago and the 7.3-ton fishing boat Seitoku Maru at 4:07 a.m. on Feb. 19. Such confusion could harm the credibility of the ministry. The government should take this situation seriously.
On the evening of Feb. 19, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba told the Liberal Democratic Party's defense panel that a watchman of the Atago saw a green light in a forward direction on the starboard or right side two minutes before the collision. The Atago set its engines at full astern about one minute later, but it still collided with the fishing boat, Mr. Ishiba explained.
At around 5 p.m., Feb. 20, Mr. Ishiba disclosed to the same panel that the watchman saw a red light and a white light that were believed to be of the Seitoku Maru 12 minutes before the collision. One wonders why this information was not disclosed first.
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