Kyushu Railway Co. said Wednesday it will install security cameras in its shinkansen running in Kyushu beginning in November to enhance security ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
The railway will introduce the cameras in passenger cabins and the decks of the 800 Series shinkansen connecting Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture, the biggest railway station in Kyushu, and Kagoshima-Chuo Station.
The operator plans to complete installation of the cameras on all of its 19 bullet trains by 2020, as well as on the N700 Series that connects to the Sanyo Shinkansen Line running in western Japan, it said.
Currently, on the N700 Series, cameras are only installed on the decks. They will be added to the passenger cabins from fiscal 2018, the company said.
The railway hopes the introduction of the cameras, with continuous recording, will help prevent crimes such as molestation, officials said.
To be considerate of passengers' privacy, it will allow a limited number of employees to access the video data.