Event: East Japan Railway's

A walking training session for people with visual impairment is held on a platform at East Japan Railway's Shinagawa Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward on March 2. | JIJI The transport ministry has launched a training program to help people with visual impairments use white canes to navigate railway station platforms safely, as part of efforts to prevent falls and other accidents.With more time needed to install platform screen doors — widely regarded as one of the most effective ways to prevent such accidents — the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism views the initiative as an urgent interim measure. The ministry plans to promote the program among railway operators nationwide and encourage them to introduce such training.In March, representatives of the media were invited to observe a walking training session held on a platform at East Japan Railway's Shinagawa Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward, using actual train cars. The session brought together six participants with visual impairments and six mobility instructors, who worked in pairs. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. SUBSCRIBE NOW