Five years sought for head of boat operator over fatal sinking
Public prosecutors on Thursday sought a five-year prison sentence for Seiichi Katsurada, president of the operator of a tour boat that sank off Hokkaido in 2022, leaving more than 20 people aboard dead.In the day's hearing for the trial at the Kushiro District Court in the prefecture, the prosecution called the sinking "an unprecedented maritime accident that took the lives of 26 people, including passengers." Hearings are set to conclude on Friday, when the defense side is scheduled to make final statements.The court battle is centered on to what extent the 62-year-old head of Shiretoko Yuransen, charged with professional negligence resulting in death, understood the planned course of the Kazu I tour boat and whether the accident was predictable.
