On 24 September 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) released the interim summary of the opinions exchanged between disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs), railway operators, and the MLIT on the safe and smooth use of stations when stations are unstaffed. The interim summary was approved at the fifth exchange meeting held on the same day.
The increasing unstaffed stations and stations not staffed at certain times of the day are recent issues, and DPOs have given requests for the safe and smooth use of stations to the MLIT. The MLIT established this meeting to hear opinions from both DPOs and railway companies in order to consider future initiatives.
The first meeting was held on 6 November 2020, and five meetings have been held so far. The members of the exchange meeting are the Japan Federation of the Visually Impaired, the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, the Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples’ International, the National Council of Independent Living Centers, railway companies (6 JR companies, 16 major private railway companies), the Japan Private Railways Association, and the MLIT’s Railway Bureau.
The interim summary outlines the following actions required of railway operators.
1.Providing appropriate guidance and information to people with disabilities
Railway operators should consider:
2.Sharing information of passenger's prior notice requesting assistance with the relevant railway operators
3.Train crews will be able to use portable ramps to assist passengers getting on and off the train.
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For more information, please visit the website below (Japanese).
https://www.mlit.go.jp/tetudo/tetudo_fr2_000017.html