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Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking crime Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking June 18 06:00 am JST June 18 | 06:49 am JST 7 Comments KUSHIRO The president of a tourist boat operator was found guilty on Wednesday of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of 26 people on a vessel that sank off Hokkaido in 2022. The Kushiro District Court sentenced Seiichi Katsurada, 62, to five years in prison. Katsurada's defense team, which argued he was not guilty of the charge as he could not have foreseen the sinking, immediately appealed the ruling. The 19-ton Kazu I sank on April 23, 2022, during a cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site on Japan's northern main island. Katsurada was not onboard the vessel. Presiding Judge Takeo Mizukoshi said Katsurada "could have foreseen an obstacle to safe operations" as bad weather was forecast on the day of the cruise, adding that his failure to cancel it led to the sinking. Prosecutors have argued Katsurada violated his obligations to exercise due care by allowing the boat's sailing despite strong wind and wave forecasts. In September 2023, the Japan Trans…

Operator denies fault in 2022 Shiretoko tour boat tragedy The Asahi Shimbun National Report article THE ASAHI SHIMBUN November 12, 2025 at 18:41 JST Seiichi Katsurada bows in front of the Kushiro District Court entrance on Nov. 12 in Kushiro, Hokkaido. (Takeo Kato) KUSHIRO, Hokkaido—The company president of a sightseeing boat that sank in strong winds and rough seas in 2022, killing all aboard, apologized to the victims in court on Nov. 12 but did not take blame for the tragedy. The trial began at the Kushiro District Court for Seiichi Katsurada, 62, president of the Shiretoko Pleasure Boat company. Katsurada is charged with professional negligence resulting in death over the sinking of the vessel off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, leaving 26 people dead or missing. The defendant faces allegations related to his role as president and safety manager of the tour boat operator during the incident. The defense argued for acquittal, stating, “The accident could not have been foreseen.” In response to the charges, Katsurada said, “I deeply apologize to the families. Bad weather was expected, so when the captain told me (the boat) would turn back in the afternoon, I agre…

Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments The 19-ton Kazu I sank on April 23, 2022, during a cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 17, 2026, 12:40 PM Updated Jun 17, 2026, 05:23 PM Set as preferred source Listen TOKYO – The president of a tourist boat operator was found guilty on June 17 of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of 26 people on a vessel that sank off Hokkaido in 2022. The Kushiro District Court sentenced Seiichi Katsurada, 62, to five years in prison. Katsurada’s defence team , which argued he was not guilty of the charge as he could not have foreseen the sinking , immediately appealed against the ruling. The 19-ton Kazu I sank on April 23, 2022, during a cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site on Japan’s northern main island. Katsurada was not onboard the vessel. Presiding Judge Takeo Mizukoshi said Katsurada “could have foreseen an obstacle to safe operations” as bad weather was forecast on the day of the cruise, adding that his failure to cancel …

Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking KUSHIRO, Japan - The president of a tourist boat operator was found guilty on Wednesday of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of 26 people on avessel that sank off Hokkaido in 2022. The Kushiro District Court sentenced Seiichi Katsurada, 62, to five years in prison. Katsurada's defense team, which argued he was not guilty of the charge as he could not have foreseen the sinking, immediately appealed the ruling. Log in or create a Free MembershipAccount or Free Membership Provides Newsletter from Editorial Team and access to archive articles from past three months. By continuing, you agree to theTerms of Use,andPrivacy Policy.

Hokkaido Boat Operator Gets 5 Yrs over Fatal 2022 Sinking Hokkaido Boat Operator Gets 5 Yrs over Fatal 2022 Sinking News from Japan Society Jun 17, 2026 22:10 (JST) English 日本語 简体字 繁體字 Français Español العربية Русский Kushiro, Hokkaido, June 17 (Jiji Press)--A district court in Hokkaido sentenced the president of a local sightseeing boat operator to five years in prison on Wednesday over a deadly boat sinking in the northernmost Japan prefecture in 2022. Kushiro District Court found Seiichi Katsurada, 62, guilty of professional negligence resulting in death. The five-year sentence was in line with the prosecution's demand. The defense, claiming that the Shiretoko Yuransen president is not guilty, immediately appealed against the ruling to an upper court. The biggest focus in the trial was whether Katsurada, who was not involved in the navigation of the Kazu I boat, had been able to foresee the accident, which occurred off the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido on the afternoon of April 23, 2022. Of the boat's 26 passengers and crew members, 20 were confirmed dead and the other six went missing. Handing down the ruling, Presiding Judge Takeo Mizukoshi rejected the defense's…

Editorial: Shiretoko boat disaster in Hokkaido must leave lasting ... In this July 13, 2025, file photo, bereaved family members of the dead in an April 2022 tour boat sinking are seen on a boat near the scene of the accident off Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula. (Mainichi/Toshiki Miyama) Criminal responsibility has been recognized for the head of the company in the sightseeing boat accident that claimed so many lives off Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula in April 2022. We must learn from this tragedy and take every possible step to prevent it from happening again. The Kushiro District Court found defendant Seiichi Katsurada, president of the boat tour operator, guilty of professional negligence causing death and sentenced him to five years in prison without suspension -- exactly as prosecutors had demanded and the maximum allowed under the law. In strong winds and high waves, the sightseeing boat carrying 26 people sank into waters with a temperature of around 3 degrees Celsius. Twenty people have been confirmed dead, and six remain missing. What the ruling condemned was the slapdash nature of the company's safety management. Katsurada was in the position of operations manager, respon…

Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking This photo shows a courtroom at the Kushiro District Court in Hokkaido on June 17, 2026. (Pool Photo) (Kyodo) KUSHIRO, Japan (Kyodo) -- The president of a tourist boat operator was found guilty on Wednesday of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of 26 people on a vessel that sank off Hokkaido in 2022. The Kushiro District Court sentenced Seiichi Katsurada, 62, to five years in prison. Katsurada's defense team argued he was not guilty of the charge as he could not have foreseen the sinking. The 19-ton Kazu I sank on April 23, 2022, during a cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site on Japan's northern main island. Presiding Judge Takeo Mizukoshi said Katsurada "could have foreseen an obstacle to safe operations" as bad weather was forecast on the day of the cruise, adding that his failure to cancel it led to the sinking. Prosecutors have argued Katsurada violated his obligations to exercise due care by allowing the boat's sailing despite strong wind and wave forecasts. Katsurada was arrested by the Japan Coast Guard in September 2024 and indicted the following month by Kushiro p…

Japanese tour company exec gets five-year jail term over fatal ... A court in Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture has handed down a prison sentence of five years on the president of a local vessel operating company in connection with amaritime incident that left at least 20 people deadfour years prior. On Wednesday, June 17, the Kushiro District Court found Seiichi Katsurada, President of tour operator Shiretoko Pleasure Cruiser, guilty of professional negligence resulting in death following the April 23, 2022 incident involving the sightseeing vesselKazu I. The presiding judge remarked that the capsizing could have been prevented, as Katsurada was aware of an earlier forecast of strong winds and high waves in the waters off eastern Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula but had decided not to suspend the vessel's operation for that day. On the day of the incident,Kazu Iwas operating off Shiretoko Peninsula with 26 people on board when her crew sent out a distress call reporting water ingress due to rough sea conditions. Another radio message sent by the crew around two hours later stated that the vessel had listed by over 30 degrees. All contact with the vessel was lost shortly afterwards. …

Hokkaido boat firm president found guilty over 2022 fatal sinking KUSHIRO, Japan (Kyodo) -- The president of a tourist boat operator was found guilty on Wednesday of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of