8:00 JST, July 18, 2026

Ensuring the safety of buses used for out-of-town trips by junior high and high school clubs has become a major issue since a bus carrying members of a high school soft tennis club crashed this spring. Ahead of summer vacation season, when such trips become more frequent, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry and the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry compiled safety measures for off-campus transportation. However, ensuring their effectiveness remains a challenge.

The accident occurred on May 6 on the Ban-Etsu Expressway in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture. A minibus carrying members of the boys soft tennis club from Hokuetsu High School in Niigata City crashed into a guardrail. The accident resulted in the death of one student and injuries — some of them serious — to 17 others.

Investigations into the accident revealed improper bus operations. The bus company, commissioned by a teacher at the school, arranged for a “white-plate” rental minibus. The driver was introduced by a sales representative as “an acquaintance of an acquaintance.” The school and the bus company did not sign a contract, and no faculty or staff members were aboard the bus.

The primary difference between “green-plate” and “white-plate” vehicles is in how they handle cargo. Vehicles with green license plates can transport passengers or cargo for a fee as part of commercial operations. In contrast, those with white license plates can only transport their own company’s cargo. This case may constitute the illegal operation of a “white bus,” and the Fukushima Prefectural Police are currently investigating.

Following the accident, local governments nationwide assessed the use........

© The Japan News