Black Company” post…Shiretoko Sightseeing Boat “Zusan Management that Caused a Catastrophe

I’m being pushed to the left and right by black-owned companies.

In March of this year, Mr. Tokuyuki Toyoda, 54, posted this on his Facebook page. The sightseeing ship “KAZU1” (hereafter referred to as “Kazuwan”; 12 meters long, 19 tons) went missing off the coast of Shiretoko, Hokkaido, along with 26 crew members and passengers. He is the captain of the KAZU1 (12 meters long, 19 tons).

Kazuwan was involved in an accident on the afternoon of April 23. Why did Kazuwan leave her home port of Utoro despite wind speeds exceeding 16 mph? Masamitsu Morita, a meteorologist and chairman of “Weather News,” explains.

The winds in the open sea in eastern Hokkaido were extremely strong due to the influence of a cold front. A strong wind warning was issued at sea, and the maximum instantaneous wind speed at Abashiri, which is about 60 km away from Utoro in a straight line, was over 25 meters. In other words, the winds were as fierce as a typhoon, and small vessels such as the Kazhuwan were helpless.

On the other hand, the wind speed in Utoro Harbor on the morning of the 23rd was 3 to 5 meters. It was not that strong. It is only a guess, but the operator of “Kazuwan” must have judged that it was safe to sail because the port of Utoro was calm. I think they could not predict how rough it would be offshore.

Two vessels by one inexperienced driver: ……

There is no way that the captain, who was entrusted with the safety of 26 people, and the operating company, Shiretoko Sightseeing Boat, can escape responsibility for the disaster caused by the forced departure of the boat due to a miscalculation in weather forecasts. Many locals are scratching their heads, saying that it was a reckless decision, even though the winds were forecast to increase and the seas to become rough. What kind of person was Captain Toyoda?

He graduated from junior high and high school in Saitama Prefecture, and until July 2006, he was working for an organization called the “Japan Amphibious Vehicle Association” to promote the use of amphibious vehicles. His place of work was Nagasaki. He came to Shiretoko about two years ago. However, it is said that he had recently been entrusted with two vessels by himself despite his inexperience in driving in the rough seas of Hokkaido, and that he was very tired both physically and mentally.

He is taciturn and serious. He could not refuse the company’s demands, and was probably driven into a corner. I think his posting on Facebook that the company was a ‘black company’ was also caused by his exhausting days.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, Kazuwan had two accidents last year alone: in May, three passengers were slightly injured when the ship came in contact with a rope floating on the sea surface, and in June, the ship ran aground on shallow water soon after setting sail. Captain Toyoda was referred to prosecutors in January of this year on charges of professional negligence and endangering pedestrians. Behind the incident was the negligent management of the operating company.

The local community began to view the operation of the “Shiretoko Pleasure Boat” as problematic around 2004. According to the registration information, the management team changed drastically at that time. The policy became one of emphasizing business rather than safety, and I have heard that by March of last year, five skilled staff members had resigned in protest.

At the same time, the number of inexperienced captains and crew members increased, and the number of problems such as ships coming too close to shore or running aground increased sharply. The “Kazuwan” also suffered repeated accidents, and its bow was cracked several dozen centimeters in length. Local residents voiced their doubts about the aggressive management of the ship. Captain Toyoda, who had a short career, must have been having a very hard time.”

As of 5:00 p.m. on April 25, the Shiretoko Pleasure Boat was not available for interviews by the press, and an explanation for the catastrophe that endangered the lives of 26 people is still being sought.