Japanese media have commended the South Korean government for its response to Saturday’s fire at an indoor shooting range in Busan.

The Asahi Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun said Monday that the fact that Prime Minister Chung Un-chan rushed to visit the site of the blaze that killed ten, including 7 Japanese tourists, was unprecedented. They also commended the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for issuing an immediate apology.

Sankei said Seoul’s prompt and earnest handling of the incident apparently stemmed from concerns about the negative effects the fire might have had on the South’s ability to bring in foreign tourists but also seemed to have demonstrated the Lee Myung-bak government’s friendly stance toward Japan.