The operator of a tour bus involved in a fatal accident on an expressway employed the driver on a day-by-day basis in violation of the road transport law and committed other operational breaches, a special transport ministry audit and details provided by the carrier's president indicate.
Although the law bans short-term employment of bus drivers for safety reasons, the operator, Rikuentai, based in Chiba Prefecture, gave one-off jobs to Kazan Kono, 43, its president, Yumihide Hariu, 55, told the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, ministry officials said.
Kono was arrested Tuesday and his case was turned over to prosecutors Thursday.