Draft plans released Thursday in response to a fatal tour boat accident off Hokkaido call for tougher penalties for business operators and strengthening inspections, among other measures.
The Kazu I sightseeing boat sank April 23 off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, leaving 26 people aboard dead or missing. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Ministry will work to revise related laws and establish new systems to prevent similar accidents in the future.
In the draft interim plans, a panel established by the ministry called Thursday for clarifying the criteria for punishment before stiffening penalties. It proposed the introduction of a point system for business operators who cause accidents or are found to be in violation of safety management regulations.
