On guard: JR West will from November start placing two of these protective umbrellas in crew cabins on about 600 trains running on conventional lines in the Kinki region. — The Straits Times/ANN
West Japan Railway has developed a stab-resistant umbrella that will be used to protect passengers and crew members from knife-wielding assailants on trains.
The rail company, also known as JR West, will from November start placing two of these protective umbrellas in crew cabins on about 600 trains running on conventional lines in the Kinki region, which includes Osaka and Kyoto.
Each umbrella is about 1m-long and has a diameter of about 1.1m when opened. Covered in a special material that is difficult for blades to cut, the opened umbrella can help protect the holder from being slashed.
The umbrella weighs about 700g, which is considerably lighter than shields and other similar protective equipment.
The meshed fabric also allows the holder to look through the umbrella and keep an eye on the assailant.
In July 2023, a knife-wielding man stabbed three people, including two passengers, on a JR Kansai Airport Line train in Osaka Prefecture.
JR West has been equipping some of its trains with protective equipment such as shields, stab-resistant vests and stab-resistant gloves, but the railway operator developed an umbrella that will be easier to use.
“We’ll make additional efforts to improve the safety of our passengers ahead of next year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo,” a JR West official said. — The Japan News/ANN
