The government should oblige children of elementary school age and younger to wear life jackets while aboard small boats such as yachts and motorboats, according to an interim report on a bill being drafted by the transport ministry to regulate the operation of small vessels.
The report, made available to Kyodo News on Saturday, also calls for users of jet-skis to wear life jackets and for a ban on taking the helm of small vessels while under the influence of alcohol as part of the government's efforts to curb an increasing number of accidents involving small boats.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to submit a bill on the operation of small boats to next year's regular Diet session after receiving a final draft of the bill from a ministry panel of experts.