In response to the sinking of a sightseeing boat off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has established a committee to examine safety measures for passenger ships. The government has approved a bill to amend related laws such as the Maritime Transportation Act, including those that need to be amended in the current Diet.
The bill includes the establishment of a testing system for flight managers in order to eliminate unqualified operators and strengthen the safety management system.