A deadly fire at a high-end, members-only private sauna in Tokyo’s Akasaka district could result in compensation exceeding ¥200 million, according to legal experts, as serious failures in safety management come to light.
The incident occurred at the luxury private sauna facility “Sauna Tiger” in Minato Ward, where a married couple in their 30s died after becoming trapped inside a sauna room. Investigations so far indicate that while an emergency button was installed inside the room, it was not powered on, rendering it useless. In addition, the door handle had reportedly detached, leaving the victims unable to escape.
The Metropolitan Police Department is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire and whether the facility’s management failed to meet required safety standards, with the possibility of charges for professional negligence resulting in death. While details about when and how safety equipment failed are still being examined, experts say the circumstances already point to severe lapses.
Attorney Kengo Minamisawa of the Adire Law Office explained that facility operators owe users a strict “duty of care,” especially in inherently dangerous environments such as high-temperature private saunas, where medical emergencies or fires may go unnoticed from the outside. He stressed that emergency equipment is meaningless if not properly maintained and operational, and that failing to test or activate such systems could be judged harshly in court.
From a civil liability perspective, Minamisawa noted that the sauna operator would likely be unable to avoid responsibility. Reports suggest the victims had no contributory negligence, as the malfunctioning door and inactive emergency button were entirely management-side failures. Because the victims were young business owners with a small child, lost future income and emotional suffering could significantly increase damages, potentially reaching over ¥100 million per person.
The case has reignited concerns that Japan’s recent sauna boom has prioritized rapid expansion over safety, raising fears that similar tragedies could occur unless stricter standards and oversight are enforced.
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