Niigata Prefecture announces results of fact-finding investigation into club activity expeditions; 15 cases of suspected inappropriate contracts

On the 20th, Niigata Prefecture announced the results of a survey of 101 high schools in the prefecture regarding field trips for club activities. This was in response to the May bus accident on the Banetsu Expressway in which a member of the boys' soft tennis team at Hokuetsu High School (Chuo Ward, Niigata City) was killed or injured.Like Hokuetsu High School, there were 15 expeditions where arrangements for rental cars, drivers, and contracts were suspected to have been inappropriate.

A total of 101 schools were surveyed, including 81 prefectural high schools and secondary schools, and 20 private high schools and junior high schools. In 2025, we investigated the vehicles, drivers, contract types, etc. used for expeditions that involve traveling more than 100 kilometers outside of the prefecture for each club activity at each school.

According to the results of the investigation, it was found that the arrangements and contracts for rental cars and drivers were suspected to have been inappropriate in three field trips (including joint field trips) involving four prefectural high schools. Among private high schools, 12 field trips per school may have been inappropriate.

The prefecture has not disclosed the name of the school or the details of the contract. Regarding the three cases involving prefectural high schools, the Department of Transportation is being consulted to see if there are any problems under the Road Transportation Act.

In addition, there were five cases at prefectural schools and 24 cases at private schools in which faculty and staff were not on board the shuttle buses to and from accommodation facilities.

Transportation is by car, role of advisor is heavy

The number of prefectural expeditions has reached 2,497.