Hundreds of blade-resistant umbrellas will soon be deployed on Japanese trains to boost passenger safety following a series of knife attacks. A Japanese company is set to introduce around 1,200 stab-proof, lightweight umbrellas on 600 trains in the Kansai region. These umbrellas are about 20cm longer than standard ones, featuring reinforced canopies and thicker handles for enhanced protection, the South China Morning Post reported. 

This initiative by West Japan Railway Co (JR West) comes in response to several violent incidents on trains, including a knife attack in July 2023 that left three passengers injured. In a separate incident last year, a 37-year-old man was arrested after stabbing three people on a train in Osaka.

The attacker, who was found carrying three knives, was arrested at Rinku Town station shortly after the assault. The victims, including a train conductor in his 20s and two male passengers aged 23 and 79, were hospitalised but did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

According to Mainichi, the blade-proof umbrellas are designed to act as shields in the event of an attack, extending about 20cm longer than regular umbrellas to help create distance between the user and the assailant.

The added length of these umbrellas is intended to provide passengers behind the shield extra time to escape to safety.

A JR West official stated, “Previous protective shields were bulky and designed for close-range use. We’ve developed a shield that’s lightweight and easier for female employees to handle.”

The umbrella-like design makes it more compact, lightweight, and easier to store and use compared to other defense tools, such as the traditional Japanese sasumata-a long forked polearm-which was used during an attempted robbery in Tokyo late last year.

JR West president, Kazuaki Hasegawa, stated, “These umbrellas can be effectively used inside a train carriage and are durable. In an emergency, we want the crew to respond quickly and ensure passengers evacuate safely.”

While violent crimes are uncommon in Japan, recent concerns over random knife attacks have led train operators to step up security measures, such as installing more cameras and conducting safety drills.

“We will continue to enhance passenger safety ahead of next year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo,” a JR West official told The Japan News.