Hello r/Japan. It’s Dave again from the audience engagement team at Nikkei Asia.
I’m sharing a free portion of the article above for anyone interested.
The excerpt starts below.
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TOKYO — East Japan Railway on Wednesday unveiled a trial of a facial recognition gate system that will enable passengers with pre-registered photos to enter and exit without the use of a transit card or ticket.
The company, also known as JR East, aims to make it easier to move through stations and increase spending at stores inside.
"This system is very efficient for passengers with large luggage or those who are not accustomed to using tickets," said Yoshiyuki Onda, the leader of the unit that developed JR East's facial recognition gates. "We aim to conduct further testing and implement it as soon as possible."
The trial is will conducted at Nagaoka station and Niigata station, both stops for the Joetsu Shinkansen bullet train line, with around 500 volunteers who hold commuter passes traveling between the stations. The trial will run from Thursday until the end of March 2026.
by NikkeiAsia