KUMAMOTO – A hotel in Kumamoto Prefecture that made headlines by turning away former Hansen’s disease patients in November said Monday it now plans to accept such people unconditionally.

“Almost 1 1/2 months have passed since the incident. We have been able to erase our discrimination, which had stemmed from our lack of understanding (about the disease),” said Tadao Eguchi, president of Aistar Co., which runs the Ai-Ladies Kyuden Kurokawa Onsen Hotel in Minamioguni, Kumamoto Prefecture.

“It is also our responsibility, as a party involved in the incident, to actively carry out educational activities about Hansen’s disease,” Eguchi told reporters.

Eguchi said the hotel will adopt designs that are friendly to people with disabilities, adding, “We would like to start from scratch.”

In November, the hotel refused to grant reservations made by the Kumamoto Prefectural Government for 25 people after it was informed that the guests were former Hansen’s disease patients. The hotel had initially accepted the reservations when they were made in September.

Prefectural officials had told the hotel there was no risk of infection, but the inn continued to refuse the party.

The hotel later apologized but continued to defend the refusal by its general manager, saying it was a “natural decision for a hotel business.” It was not until Dec. 20 that Eguchi issued a full apology to the patients.

The hotel said Monday it is also considering offering discounted tours to former Hansen’s disease patients, with the manager expressing hope the hotel can “become the place where those who have recovered from Hansen’s disease across the country can gather.”

Akira Ota, head of the government-run Kikuchi Keifuen sanitarium, where the former patients reside, said of the inn’s apparent change of heart: “I felt it was a company promotion aimed at (minimizing) disciplinary action from the prefectural government and prosecutors. I hope they will maintain this stance even after punishment is meted out.”

The Justice Ministry and the Kumamoto Prefectural Government filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors in November against the hotel and its operator for violating the Hotel Business Law, which bans hotels from refusing accommodations on unjustifiable grounds.

Japan segregated Hansen’s disease patients in isolated sanitariums for decades, even after it was learned that the disease is difficult to transmit.