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Nine beaches in Ibaraki Prefecture were reopened to the public over the weekend after being closed a year ago due to repeated shark sightings.
Last July, the nine beaches in Hokota City, Oarai-machi, Kamisu City and other locations were closed due to sandbar shark sightings. Since then, netting has been placed in the water at eight of the beaches except at Hokota.
Local officials said the closures during the peak swimming season severely impacted the local economy, Fuji TV reported.
On Saturday, jet ski patrols gave the all-clear for beaches to open.
Last year, shark sightings also caused the closure of beaches in Kagoshima, Shizuoka and Chiba prefectures, but so far this summer, there have been no sightings.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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DaDude
Best thing for Chibans to do is save some money from that summer bonus and hop on an LCC down to Okinawa. No shark threats and clear waters to swim in.
Citizen2012
This is Japan, so there should not be any doubt which side will be taken between local economy and public health.
muttinjapan
Agree with all comments above - what's also a bit comical and goes along with the 'NATURE IS ABUNAI' theme so popular in Japan is the fact that these sharks aren't particularly dangerous to begin with...back home Great Whites near beaches prompt a closing of a day or two (which are often ignored anyway) not an entire YEAR?! - anyway, good the beaches will be open.
Kobe White Bar Owner
If its a sandbar it posses very little risk to human, if its a bull thats a totally different story. Problem is they do look similar.
wtfjapan
why now, do they think the sharks have given up on human meat and gone on to other prey!? Sharks will always be around, you're in their territory, if you're afraid of sharks don't do in the water. while shark attacks are rare they will almost certainly happen again while humans keep swimming in the ocean.
SenseNotSoCommon
I love the spontaneity: it's mid July, let's open the beaches!