Global Courant 2023-04-20 06:03:01
The bathwater at a Japanese inn, reported to contain 3,700 times the limit of bacteria, had been changed only twice a year “since about 1998,” a former Daimaru Besso associate said, local media reported.
The former employee, who was not named, also said bathwater chlorine levels had not been measured since about 1998, according to a report in Mainichi Shimbun on Wednesday, citing prefectural police.
This led police to suspect that the inn, which opened in 1865, in western Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture, had been poorly managed for some 25 years at the direction of the former late president.
Mr Makoto Yamada, 70, was found dead in March, shortly after allegations surfaced that the inn only changes the bathwater twice a year. The authorities suspect that Mr. Yamada committed suicide.
In August 2022, inspections by authorities found that bacteria levels in the inn’s bath water were initially twice the permitted level.
The water in the hot springs, also known as onsen, is supposed to be changed at least once a week, according to local onsen maintenance rules.
But the inn reported to authorities that it had been disinfecting and changing the water as per guidelines.
A random check by officials in November 2022 showed that the number of bacteria was no less than 3,700 times higher than the accepted level. This prompted the inn to admit that since 2019 it had changed its water only two days a year when not in use.
The report by Mainichi Shimbun said Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Tuesday sent documents to prosecutors against Mr. Yamada and the inn, alleging violations of a public bathing law.
At the time of his death, Mr. Yamada was reportedly accused of having his employees falsify a report.
The allegedly falsified report claimed that the bath water was changed at least once a week and that chlorine concentration levels were measured correctly according to regulations before being submitted to the prefectural government in September 2022.
The Mainichi Shimbun added that the inn admitted to the allegations and that Mr Yamada also reportedly told police that the allegations were true before he died.
Police have demanded that prosecutors sue the inn. But according to the report, prosecutors are likely to drop charges against Mr Yamada.
The incident has also raised concerns about the sanitary management of public baths in Japan, as well as the importance of proper regulation and enforcement.
