Japan's New Measures To Prevent Children Being Left Behind In School Bus
Japan's government has worked out safety measures for buses used by nursery schools and kindergartens. This comes in response to the death of a 3-year-old girl from heatstroke in Shizuoka Prefecture last month after she was left behind in a bus.
The government says that from next April, it will require checking children's whereabouts through roll calls when they get on and off buses regardless of who is driving or riding the vehicles.
It also says it will require installing of devices to prevent children from being left behind in about 44,000 buses operated by nursery schools, kindergartens and similar facilities across the country.
The government says facilities violating the requirements may be subject to a business suspension order, and that it may penalize them if they fail to comply.
It plans to compile a safety management manual stipulating the responsibility of the heads and other officials of facilities.
Children's Policy Minister Ogura Masanobu said it is extremely regrettable that the life of a second young child was lost. In July last year, a 5-year-old boy died in Fukuoka Prefecture after he was left behind in a nursery school bus.
Ogura also said he wants to make sure all facilities implement the steps.