Tobu Railway considers measures to improve safety for people with visual impairments after falling incidents

By Barrier Free Japan with extracts from NHK

February 27 2021

TOKYO – In an accident where a visually impaired man fell from a platform and died at a station on the Tobu Tojo Line in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, Tobu Railway thoroughly spoke to visually impaired people and turned the edge of the platform red for the time being. The railway have decided to take measures such as calling attention to people with impaired vision.

On the 28th of last month, at Shimo-Akatsuka Station on the Tobu Tojo Line in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, a man fell from his platform and was hit by a train and died. According to an acquaintance, the man suffered from a visual impairment with poor eyesight. It means that my eyesight has deteriorated recently.

On the 26th, a national meeting was held to consider measures for accidents in which visually impaired people fell from the platform of the station, and the person in charge of Tobu Railway explained the situation at that time, such as not being aware of it until the man fell.

As an immediate measure, it was reported that he would thoroughly call out to visually impaired people and take measures to call attention to people with low vision by turning the edge of the platform called the CP line red, with the goal of April this year.

The installation of platform doors will be considered in the future.

Initially, Tobu Railway did not fully verify the accident without fully confirming it with the police, regarding it as a suicide.

This month, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has instructed railway companies nationwide to thoroughly confirm the cause with the police and to verify and report the accident in order to prevent recurrence.