Transport minister Keiichi Ishii said Tuesday that by mid-March his ministry will conduct broad inspections on the safety management policies of bus companies that have received government reprimands in the past.

The move comes after the deadly crash last week of a chartered ski-tour bus that exposed lax business operations by its operator.

Ishii said his ministry will also conduct inspections without prior notice on chartered buses to make sure they have the appropriate paperwork regarding the drivers' working conditions, and route and rest-stop information.