Officials of the Ground Self-Defense Force said Saturday that local spa operators will be compensated if they suffer financially due to the accidental firing of a 155 mm howitzer shell earlier this month.
The Northeast Area Army Headquarters, based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, conveyed the decision to a delegation of Social Democratic Party members, who visited a GSDF post in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture.
"We will take appropriate measures based on the state redress law if there is a report of damage attributable to the incident," Yoshinori Saeki, chief of the regional headquarters, was quoted as telling the SDP delegation.
The 155 mm shell went astray earlier this month during an exercise at the firing range, which straddles the villages of Tenei and Nishigo in southern Fukushima Prefecture. It flew over the hot spring resort before finally landing just 1 km away.
Concerns have been voiced over possible damage to local businesses as the incident could scare away visitors.