News JR West to equip trains with blade-proof umbrellas

[thomas]

I want one of these in my genkan.

JR West is enhancing passenger safety by equipping its trains with knife-proof umbrellas. These specialized umbrellas, designed to protect railway personnel and buy time for passengers to escape during violent incidents, were developed in response to a stabbing incident that occurred on the Kansai Airport Line last year.

Photo credit: Kazuhide Setoguchi via Asahi​

The company plans to gradually install these safety umbrellas in trains equipped with security cameras by March 2024. Each train will strategically place two umbrellas in crew cabs and other areas. The knife-proof umbrella features a transparent, blade-resistant canopy, a reinforced shaft for durability, and a shortened tip to prevent it from being easily grabbed. JR West aims to provide its passengers with a more secure and reassuring travel experience by implementing this safety measure.

In the process of perfecting the umbrella, an oval design was considered. However, as this shape could make it difficult for users to fend off side attacks, the round design was eventually selected. The finished flexible umbrella is easy to use even in narrow spaces like train aisles. "We haven't heard of other rail operators introducing similar weapons," said a JR West representative. Previously, JR West equipped different trains with different weapons, such as riot shields, anti-blade gloves and knife-proof vests. But these traditional tools did not go down well with crew members. A typical complaint was that the "acrylic shield is so heavy" or that the protective gear "does not give the user a sense of security as it is impossible to keep a safe distance from a person with a knife."

JR West to equip its trains with blade-proof umbrellas | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[mdchachi]

JR West aims to provide its passengers with a more secure and reassuring travel experience by implementing this safety measure.

I can see the train personnel might be reassured but I wonder how this would reassure passengers.