Arrest over Shiretoko Boat Sinking: President Must Face Responsibility for Letting Ship Sail into Rough Seas

Editorial

15:29 JST, September 24, 2024

The sinking of a sightseeing boat, which took the lives of many people, has developed into a criminal case 2½ years after it occurred. Why was the disaster not prevented? Hopefully, the investigation and trial will bring answers to some of the questions that the victims’ families still hold.

In April 2022, the sightseeing boat with 26 people aboard, both passengers and crew, sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido. The Japan Coast Guard’s First Regional Coast Guard Headquarters has now arrested Seiichi Katsurada, president of the boat operator, over the incident on charges such as professional negligence resulting in death.

The regional headquarters has said it also plans to send papers to prosecutors on the boat’s captain, although that suspect died in the incident.

In general, investigations into cases involving negligence are considered to be difficult. In this case in particular, the boat was sailing alone, and all of the people aboard are dead or unaccounted for. Despite the absence of any witnesses, the coast guard regional headquarters finally managed to establish a case after analyzing meteorological data and conducting a series of reenactment experiments using a large-scale model of the boat.

The consequences of the incident were serious, and the emotional impact on the victims’ families has been intense. Such factors likely have driven the authorities to arrest the company president.

The sightseeing boat set sail in a situation where worsening weather was forecast. It is believed that a hatch on the bow deck was blown open by high waves, allowing a large amount of seawater to enter the engine room. This is viewed as having caused the boat to sink.

At the time, Katsurada was serving as an operation manager, meaning he was tasked with being in contact with the captain and assisting him in making decisions. The regional headquarters concluded that Katsurada had an obligation to stop the cruise but failed to do so.

In the seafaring world, a captain is said to bear a great deal of responsibility. Katsurada has reportedly claimed that he is a “nautical novice,” and that he thought he could leave the overall operation to the boat’s captain. Indeed, Katsurada left the office an hour after the boat set sail and ceased communication with the boat.

The arrest of Katsurada is significant as it signals that top management and those who are involved in operations cannot avoid responsibility. Other operators of sightseeing boats across the nation should bear this in mind.

Katsurada has not been seen in public since appearing at a press conference four days after the fatal accident. He should face up to the accident and apologize properly to the victims’ families.

In the wake of the accident, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry formulated measures to prevent a recurrence, such as strengthening penalties for shady operators. It has also introduced a qualification examination system for ship operation managers.

This incident has also exposed a problem in which the organization that inspected the boat’s hull on behalf of the government failed to detect a defect on the hatch. In response to this, the ministry has also worked to strengthen checking functions.

Nevertheless, it was found in August that JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Inc. covered up a water leak on a passenger ship. The incident prompted the transport ministry to order the dismissal of the company’s managers, including one in charge of vessel operations. If awareness of danger has faded as time has gone by since the Shiretoko incident, that is the greatest enemy of efforts to prevent accidents.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 24, 2024)