In Japan, there have been cases of attacks on train passengers, prompting the West Japan Railway Company, known as JR West, to announce that each of its 600 trains will be staffed with two specially trained security personnel starting next month. The new design of the security personnel includes a reinforced pole and a transparent screen one meter wide made of a special fabric, which JR West describes as "material difficult to penetrate."
The head of JR West, Kazuaki Hasegawa, stated at a press conference: "We have developed a shield, easy to use for employees in case of an emergency situation, so that staff can quickly react and evacuate passengers safely." The company presented a video for local media, demonstrating how a staff member in official attire reflects an attack by an armed assailant.
The shield weighs only 700 grams and is lighter in use than alternative options, such as 'sasumata', a long weapon designed for detaining or restraining attackers.
Last month, 38-year-old Yusuki Tsushima sought three people and attacked a passenger train car in St. Louis.
JR West operates around 5,000 kilometers of railroad tracks on the main island of Honshu, serving cities like Kyoto and Osaka, as well as implementing other high-tech security systems for public safety, including cameras with artificial intelligence. In 2022, the company, as local media reported, worked on a "system for detecting crime" in order to quickly notify authorities of any incidents.
While overall crime levels in the country have decreased, Japan has faced a wave of attacks with knives and acid on its public transportation system in recent years. In July 2023, two individuals and a railway worker were attacked on a train near Osaka, followed by the arrest of a 37-year-old suspect with three knives. Recently, a 27-year-old Kiyotaro Hatori was sentenced to 23 years in prison for attacking a passenger and a train attendant in Tokyo.