Aomori Prefecture begins removal of abandoned Lake Towada boats

Aomori Prefecture has begun an administrative execution to remove four sightseeing boats that have been abandoned at the Utarube pier on Lake Towada since 2015. The vessels, some of which have capsized due to heavy snow, were left by the Towada Lake Sightseeing Boat Business Cooperative, which is currently in liquidation.

The removal and dismantling process is expected to take approximately two years, with a target completion date by the end of fiscal year 2027. Due to the large size of the ships and the narrow access roads, workers will use specialized methods, including constructing temporary roads and piers to dismantle the vessels on-site.

The estimated cost for the operation exceeds 700 million yen. The prefecture plans to utilize subsidies from the Ministry of the Environment to fund the work and will subsequently seek to recover the costs from the owners.