Doshisha School Corporation apologizes for fatal Okinawa boat accident

The Doshisha School Corporation held its first press conference since a fatal boat accident in March, during which a student and a boat captain died off the coast of Henoko, Okinawa. Eiji Hatta, the chairman of the corporation, issued a formal apology and announced his intention to resign once an external committee completes its investigation into the incident.

The corporation addressed several critical failures, including inadequate safety management systems and a lack of responsibility among faculty. A significant point of contention involved the neutrality of the school’s peace studies program. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology had previously noted that the educational content lacked political neutrality, as students were aboard a vessel used by groups protesting US military base relocation.

Chairman Hatta admitted that the peace studies program was problematic for presenting a one-sided view rather than a multifaceted perspective. The school has established an external committee of experts to review the educational content and organizational culture.

Family members of the deceased student expressed profound dissatisfaction with the school’s response, citing a seven-month silence following the accident. They criticized the delay in communication and urged the institution to take its accountability seriously.