Chikushino City’s Daimaru Bessou held a press conference after receiving criticism from the local government. The inn’s long-standing practice of replacing the water in its large communal bath only twice a year on its two annual closure days, in violation of prefectural regulations mandating weekly replacement, was revealed. In addition, the inn neglected to inject the necessary chlorine disinfectant, resulting in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in December of last year, with Legionella bacteria levels reaching up to 3,700 times the standard limit.
The company’s president expressed deep regret and offered apologies at a press conference in Fukuoka on February 28th. “I regret the harm I caused to everyone with my short-sighted thinking, and tarnishing the name of Daimaru Bessou,” he said.
Yamada then admitted, “Around December 2019, I instructed our staff to change the water in the bath only twice a year, during the Obon and New Year holidays. I had the impression that Legionella bacteria were not serious germs as they can be found in ponds and puddles. Even if someone were to die from Legionnaires’ disease, I thought they would likely have had an underlying illness. I myself bathe in the hot springs two or three times a day, but I did not think the water was dirty. I believed that the spring water, which is filtered and recirculated through a device that can deliver about 70 liters of source water per minute, had good water quality. I didn’t like the smell of chlorine.” He also admitted that he had initially provided false information to the health department, saying that the water change was appropriate. He stated that he had a desire to pass the inspection. This incident is not the first outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Japan. In 2002, a collective infection occurred at a hot spring facility in Miyazaki Prefecture, resulting in seven deaths. Source: NHK
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