The trial concerning the capsize of a sightseeing boat off the coast of Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, which led to the deaths and disappearances of 26 people in 2022, continued with testimonies from former employees. At the fifth hearing held on the 16th at the Kushiro District Court, a former employee who handled passenger reception stated that they had not been given instructions regarding conditional operations that would require returning in rough seas. Traditionally, such conditional operations would be communicated to passengers either at the office or during the reception process, usually one hour before the boat's departure.

The prosecution argues that Seichi Katsurada, the president of the Shiretoko sightseeing boat company, knew that the vessel would still operate on the regular course despite adverse weather conditions and failed to issue a stop order. The defense, however, claims that Katsurada was aware of the need to turn back before the bad weather hit, but it was the captain who acted independently and altered the intended route, leading to the accident. Witnesses supporting both sides are being called to add complexity to the case surrounding accountability.

Additionally, local fishermen provided testimony highlighting the dangerous conditions at the time of the accident. One fisherman recounted how they returned from their own fishing venture due to strong winds and confronted the captain of the sunken boat, expressing concern over the risks involved. This juxtaposition between local knowledge and the decisions made by the sightseeing operation raises critical questions regarding safety and management in tourism operations in challenging weather conditions, potentially impacting regulations for the industry in the future.