Death toll from snow-related incidents rises to 81
January 12, 2006The death toll from snow-related incidents in Japan since the snow season began in December rose to 81 in 17 prefectures after five people were found dead Thursday in Fukui, Gifu and Yamagata prefectures, according to data compiled by Kyodo News. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency separately reported that the number of people who have died in snow-related incidents totaled 79 as of 3 p.m. Thursday, with people aged 60 and older accounting for about 80 percent of the deaths.
13 hotels eye damages suits over building-code violation scandal
January 12, 2006The operators of 13 hotels in nine prefectures which were built or were designed based on fabricated quake-resistance data plan to file damages suits against local governments or state-designated building inspection firms for their failure to detect the fabrications, according to a Kyodo News survey released Thursday. They are among 36 hotels which have been forced to suspend their operations or whose construction has been halted because they were designed based on substandard quake-substandard quake data.
High court orders Hyogo Pref. to pay damages for failing to stop stalker
January 12, 2006The Osaka High Court ordered Hyogo Prefecture on Thursday to pay 6.6 million yen in damages to the family of a murder victim for failing to take sufficient action against a stalker who eventually killed the woman, upholding a district court ruling in 2004. The high court, however, denied a causal link between the prefectural police's negligence and the death of Yukako Onoi, 20 at the time of her death, as the Hyogo District Court did.
13 hotels eye damages suits over building-code violation scandal
January 12, 2006The operators of 13 hotels in nine prefectures which were built or were designed based on fabricated quake-resistance data plan to file damages suits against local governments or state-designated building inspection firms for their failure to detect the fabrications, according to a Kyodo News survey released Thursday. They are among 36 hotels which have been forced to suspend their operations or whose construction has been halted because they were designed based on substandard quake-substandard quake data.