## 5 Determining the Causes of Aircraft, Railway, and Marine Accidents/Serious Incidents and Preventing Recurrence

During FY 2015, accidents subject to investigations by the Transport Safety Board consisted of thirty-nine aviation incidents, fourteen rail incidents, and 893 incidents involving ships and vessels that occurred and were investigated.

Investigation reports for thirty aviation accidents whose investigations were finished in FY 2015 were publicly released. Released in May 2015, a key report consisted of an investigation report on a serious incident in which a plane that was taking off mistakenly entered a runway that was at the time being used by a plane that was approaching for a landing at Naha Airport in July 2012.

Likewise, investigation reports for twenty-one rail accidents were released. Released in December 2015, key reports consisted of investigation reports on freight car derailments that occurred on JR Hokkaido's Esashi Line in September 2012 and June 2014. In conjunction with the release of these reports, opinions were presented to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to have concerned parties come together and carry out a review with a view to improving the safety of freight train operations.

Likewise, investigation reports for 974 accidents involving ships and boats were released. Released in Figure II-7-4-9 Ship Accidents Hazard Map (mobile version)

Top page http://jtsb.mlit.go.jp/hazardmap/mobile/index.html

December 2015, a key report consisted of an investigation report on a major accident in which an oil tanker called Shokomaru exploded in flames offshore just south of Himeji Port in May 2014, resulting in deaths and injuries caused to five crewmembers.

The Transport Safety Board upgraded the functions of hazard maps for ship accidents that were designed to allow anyone to search locations where multiple ship accidents have occurred and the results of accident investigations by superimposing them on online electronic maps and commenced the operations of a mobile version of hazard maps for ship accidents that were designed to allow information on the vicinity of a user's current location to be quickly searched with a smartphone or tablet in June 2015.

## 6 Support for Victims and Families of Public Transport Accidents

In order to support the victims and others of public transport accidents, the Public Transport Accident Victims Support Office was established in April 2012. The Support Office exercises such initiatives as transferring requests from victims to public transport operators and introducing appropriate authorities in accordance with the consultation content of victims.

In FY 2015, when a public transport accident occurred, the Support Office made the consultation service well known to victims, as well as responded to consultation from victims. When no public transport accidents needed to be dealt with, the Support Office was involved in numerous other activities, such as by providing education and training to staff members who provide support, building networks with relevant outside organizations, holding support forums for the victims of public transport accidents, and urging public transport operators to formulate plans for the provision of support to victims.

In the future, based on feedback from stakeholders, the Support Office’s functions will continue to be improved and measures to support the victims and others of public transport accidents will be steadily moved forward.