The safety of public transport in Japan has been thrown into doubt by the April 25 train derailment in Hyogo Prefecture, which killed 107 people and injured 460, and by a succession of other transport-related incidents that have followed -- including train overruns, a bus accident, errors by air traffic controllers and an emergency descent by a jumbo jet.
Public anxiety must be removed at all costs. First, public transport companies, particularly railway operators, should conduct all-out safety checks immediately, as requested by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and publish all inspection results. They should also map out drastic plans to ensure safety, then implement them without delay.
Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa has said he will order all railway companies to install a new, advanced automatic train stop (ATS) system to prevent derailments. The statement, while welcome, seems overdue. The tragedy in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, could have been prevented had the ministry issued the order earlier. Railway companies, particularly West Japan Railway Co. (JR West), which is directly responsible for the accident, should introduce the system as soon as possible.