Learning from the train knife attack last October involving a man dressed as Joker, the Japanese government mulls making security cameras mandatory in all multi-car trains.
THE Japanese government may soon oblige railway operators to install security cameras inside newly built trains after the knife attack in October.
According to the local transport ministry, they will be revising an ordinance on disaster prevention measures to take safety precautions against fires.
Railway firms will also be surveyed regarding an ordinance allowing railway operators to conduct security checks that started earlier this year.
“Crime prevention steps were not sufficient,” said transport minister Tetsuo Saito,
saying the current measures focused on safe operations and accident prevention.
During the attack on October 31, passengers pushed several emergency buttons but were unable to directly communicate with the crew of the situation.
The minister also pointed at the lack of security cameras on the Keio Line limited express train where the attack happened.
Finally, when a passenger pulled the emergency stop lever, the train did not manage to stop at the station correctly leaving some doors closed prompting passengers to climb off through the windows.
“Learning a lesson from the incident, we will study the performance of security cameras,” Saito added.
Both the railway operators and transport ministry will be working on informing the public on how to properly use the emergency buttons and levers.
Tags: #Japan, #transportation, #security, #cctvcameras, #railways