A research institute for the transport ministry conducted a test Monday on how far apart passengers should be while riding on commuter trains in the event of a new type of influenza outbreak.
According to the Policy Research Institute for the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, passengers would be required to keep a distance of 1 to 2 meters to prevent the infection spreading by coughs or sneezes.
Thirty people from the institute participated in the test on a Tokyo Metro train in Adachi Ward and examined whether train officials with megaphones can smoothly instruct passengers to get on and off the train and to maintain the required distance while sitting.
The government estimates as many as 640,000 people in Japan could die if a new type of influenza breaks out, as it takes about six months to develop a vaccine.
If there is a danger of an epidemic, the government plans to ask public transportation companies to take measures to ease congestion or cancel their services altogether.
