An inn in Japan, Daimaru Besso, recently came under fire for only changing its hot spring bathwater twice a year, leading to a buildup of bacteria.
It later issued an apology on its website and stated that it has implemented a system to improve hygiene standards.
The president of the company that runs the inn, Makoto Yamada, has since personally apologised for the lapse in cleaning protocol during a news conference.
According to the South China Morning Post, Mr Yamada apologised for not regularly changing the inn’s hot spring bathwater in a press conference on Tuesday (28 Feb).
This led to levels of legionella bacteria that were 3,700 times over the acceptable limits.
Source: The Japan Times
Local regulations dictate that inns should replace the bathwater in their hot springs on a weekly basis.
Mr Yamada acknowledged that Daimaru Besso had failed to use enough chlorine to keep the water clean.
He admitted that he “didn’t like the smell” of the chlorine and that this was a “selfish reason”.
The lapse was a “wrongdoing” that disregarded the health of their customers, he added.
Management of the bathwater at Daimaru Besso started falling short in December 2019, The Japan Times quotes Mr Yamada as saying.
Source: Daimaru Besso
Things became worse when the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a sharp decline in visitor numbers. Staff at the facility became more careless, leading to a further drop in standards.
“It was not about cutting costs, but to save time and effort,” Mr Yamada said of their decision to only change the bathwater every six months.
Back in 2022, authorities inspected the inn and found twice the permitted amount of legionella bacteria in the bathwater.
Mr Yamada confessed to asking his staff to falsify their bathwater chlorination records before submitting them to a public health office. He did so despite knowing it was illegal.
A further probe revealed that the bathwater contained 3,700 times the normal limit of legionella bacteria.
“My understanding of the law has been lax,” said Mr Yamada. “I was complacent in thinking that legionella bacteria was just an ordinary germ that can be found everywhere.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that legionella bacteria can cause a serious lung infection called Legionnaires’ disease, as well as Pontiac fever.
Mr Yamada has further stated that he will resign once the issue has been resolved.
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Featured image adapted from The Japan Times and Daimaru Besso.
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