Families Mourn Victims on 3rd Anniv. of Hokkaido Boat Sinking

   Shari, Hokkaido, April 23 (Jiji Press)--A memorial service was held in the town of Shari in the northern Japan prefecture of Hokkaido on Wednesday to mark the third anniversary of the fatal sinking of the Kazu I tour boat.
   During the service, about 120 participants, including bereaved families, observed a moment of silence shortly after 1 p.m., when the incident is believed to have occurred.
   The tour boat, operated by Shari-based Shiretoko Yuransen, sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula on April 23, 2022, leaving a total of 20 passengers and crew members dead and six others still unaccounted for.
   Shari Mayor Hiroaki Yamauchi said that the local community will reassess what needs to be done to make the Shiretoko area attractive and "build safety step by step."
   "Our biggest mission is to ensure (tourists') safety," said Katsunori Nojiri, head of the Shiretoko Shari-cho Tourist Association. "We'll work to ensure that people can enjoy nature and sightseeing without worrying."

(2025/04/23-20:29)