The World - News from Sept. 28, 1989

More than 230 people arrived in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island, in a 50-ton wooden boat, the first “boat people” to land in Japan since an unprecedented influx forced the government two weeks ago to tighten its policy on who will be accepted as refugees. Most of those aboard were young men, but young mothers and about 12 children were also on the boat. The boat had left from Vietnam, but officials said it stopped in China because of typhoon damage, and most of those aboard were thought to be Chinese ineligible for refugee status.