The parents of one of the 44 people who died in the Sept. 1 fire in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, have filed a request to classify their son's death as a work-related disaster, sources close to the case said Friday.
They would be entitled to receive insurance benefits if their application is successful, the sources said.
The Shinjuku Labor Standards Inspection Office accepted the application Wednesday after receiving the relevant documents by mail, they said.
Although several people have made inquiries in this regard, this is the first time that relatives of one of the victims have asked a labor inspection authority to deem the victim's death as a work-related disaster.
The couple's son was working at a video mah-jongg parlor on the third floor of the Meisei 56 Building in the Kabukicho entertainment district when the fire broke out.
The labor standards inspection office said it will study the man's case in light of his parents' request.
The Workers' Compensation Insurance Law stipulates that, if a labor inspection authority determines that a person's injury or death at work or while commuting constitutes a work-related disaster, the victim or the victim's relatives are entitled to receive monetary compensation.