Sep 04 (News On Japan) - Awa Odori, the largest dance festival in Japan, sparked controversy this year with the introduction of premium paid seating priced at 200,000 yen ($1,400) per person, which will now be fully refunded after building violations were discovered.
An inspection conducted by the city of Tokushima prior to the event revealed that aspects such as the width of the stairs and the height of the handrails did not meet the standards of the Building Standards Law. The organizing committee and "Asoview," the company behind the seat plan, made some modifications, but they operated the seats on the event day without having obtained an inspection certificate.
The organizing committee and Asoview stated that they were not aware of the need to undergo another inspection to obtain the necessary certification. They decided to fully refund the payment to those who had purchased the seats.
The Premium Box Seats were also adopted as part of the support program by the Japan Tourism Agency, and the agency is conducting interviews and investigations with Asoview to assess whether the grant of subsidies was appropriate.
