National May 27, 2022
Sunken Hokkaido tour boat arrives at port after salvage operation
The 19-ton Kazu I, being transported on a barge, will be brought ashore as early as Sunday after seawater is drained from it, according to the Japan Coast Guard.
National May 26, 2022
Sunken Hokkaido tourist boat raised to surface in second salvage attempt
A tourist boat that sank off Hokkaido last month, leaving 14 people dead and 12 missing, was successfully raised to the surface.
National May 19, 2022
Divers begin search operations at sunken boat site off Hokkaido
The divers will conclude the task of searching for the 12 people still unaccounted for as early as Friday, according to the Japan Coast Guard.
National Apr 29, 2022
The latest news emerged a day after sources said the president of the tour boat's operator repeatedly forced vessel captains to depart despite high waves.
National Apr 28, 2022
Relatives apply for marriage license for missing Hokkaido boat couple
The couple lived together and had already met each other's parents. After talking it over, their families applied for the license as a symbol of their love.
National Apr 27, 2022
In emotional news conference, tour boat operator apologizes for Hokkaido tragedy
by Eric Johnston
The cause of the accident remains unclear, but investigators plan to build a criminal case against the boat's operator.
National / Crime & Legal Apr 26, 2022
Sonar detects vessel-like objects during search for missing tour boat
The Japan Coast Guard said the objects have been detected in various locations, but it could not determine whether the readings were connected to the Kazu I.
National Apr 25, 2022
Father of missing man fears the worst in Hokkaido boat accident
Tsuyoshi Suzuki heard from another person that his son, Tomoya, had been planning on proposing to his girlfriend aboard the ship.
National Apr 25, 2022
Hokkaido boat accident highlights the risks of nature tourism
by Eric Johnston
Firms offering boat tours of the Shiretoko Peninsula have agreed not to operate during Golden Week, and officials are worried that the incident will keep tourists away from Hokkaido.
National Apr 25, 2022
Inquiries start into missing Japan tourist boat, with at least 11 dead
Search efforts to locate the vessel and the missing passengers and crew intensified off the northern Hokkaido coast on Monday.
National Oct 21, 2013
A wildlife conservation group in Shiretoko, Hokkaido, has launched a campaign to improve the behavior of tourists and photographers near the Iwaobetsu River in Shari, near Abashiri, as they swarm the area to get a closer look at its brown bears. The Shiretoko Nature Foundation, ...