For most, the convenience of riding trains with the swipe of a smart card is taken for granted. But for disabled people in the Tokyo metropolitan region, that change has yet to come.
Japan's disabled, as well as accompanying caregivers, are eligible for 50% discounts on train fares, but in the capital area, unlike many other parts of the country, there are no smart cards for these special fares. Instead, the disabled must queue up at manned counters and present a certificate with proof of disability to buy a discount ticket each time.
An advocacy group that supports disabled residents in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, says the lack of smart cards with discount fares for disabled residents and carers on any lines in the Kanto region adds significantly to travel time.