An investigation into a fire in a Tokyo bar that killed 44 people has uncovered a long list of safety violations.
Tokyo fire officials have drawn up plans to conduct emergency inspections of thousands of buildings in the city following the blaze.
The cause of the blaze and an explosion that rocked the building is still under investigation.
Only three people survived the early-morning tragedy at a crowded mahjong parlour and bar in the Kabukicho area of Shinjuku. It is Japan's worst fire disaster in more than 20 years.
The first day of the investigation has left no doubt that negligence of basic safety rules was partially to blame for the high death toll.
The tragedy has raised concerns that similar buildings - which are sometimes shared by more than a dozen tiny nightclubs - may be at risk.
The Tokyo Fire Department plans to launch an emergency inspection of 4,000-5,000 structures in the city beginning on Monday. The inspection could take more than two months, says spokesman Mr Hirotaka Seo.
Fire and police officials inspecting the site of the fire have come up with a long list of safety hazards in a building that had previously been cited for fire code violations.
Windows were obstructed from the outside by billboards. Emergency rope ladders had not been installed on the second and third floors. Doors that should have closed automatically to contain the fire did not shut, and the stairway was cluttered with storage lockers.
"It was almost impossible to escape," said local fire chief Mr Yasuhiro Yoshii.
PA