Hundreds of blade-resistant umbrellas will soon be deployed on Japanese trains to boost passenger safety following a series of knife attacks. A Japanese company is set to introduce about 1,200 stab-resistant, lightweight umbrellas to 600 trains in the Kansai region. These umbrellas are approximately 20 cm longer than standard umbrellas, with reinforced canopies and thicker handles for better protection. South China Morning Post Informed.
The initiative by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) comes in response to a number of violent incidents on trains, including a knife attack in July 2023 that left three passengers injured. In a separate incident last year, a 37-year-old man was arrested after stabbing three people on a train in Osaka.
The attacker, who was armed with three knives, was arrested at Rinku Town station soon after the attack. The victims, who included a train conductor in his 20s and two male passengers aged 23 and 79, were hospitalized but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.
according to MainichiBlade-proof umbrellas are designed to act as a shield in the event of an attack, being approximately 20 cm longer than regular umbrellas to help create distance between the user and the attacker.
The purpose of the extra length of these umbrellas is to provide additional time for passengers behind the shield to escape to safety.
“Previous safety shields were heavy and designed for use at close range. We have developed a shield that is lighter and easier for women employees to handle,” said a JR West official.
The umbrella-like design makes it more compact, lighter and easier to store and use than other defense devices, such as the traditional Japanese ssumata—a long barbed polearm—which was used during an attempted robbery in Tokyo late last year. Was done.
Kazuki Hasegawa, president of JR West, said, “These umbrellas can be used effectively inside train carriages and are durable. In the event of an emergency, we want the crew to respond immediately and provide passengers with Make sure to evacuate safely.”
While violent crimes are uncommon in Japan, recent concerns over random knife attacks have led train operators to increase security measures, such as installing more cameras and conducting safety drills.
“We will continue to enhance passenger safety ahead of next year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo,” a JR West official said. japan news,
