新幹線放火殺人 利便性損ねずに再発防ぎたい

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Try to prevent another Shinkansen fire while keeping train service convenient
新幹線放火殺人　利便性損ねずに再発防ぎたい

Taking steps to prevent a recurrence while also ensuring that passengers’ convenience is not compromised — this difficult task has come to the fore.
　乗客の利便性を損ねずに、再発防止を図る。難しい課題が浮き彫りになったと言える。

A passenger fatally set himself on fire inside a bullet train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line while it was in motion. A female passenger who was caught up in the incident also died. Twenty-six other passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment.
　走行中の東海道新幹線の列車内で、男が焼身自殺した。巻き添えで乗客の女性が死亡した。救急搬送された乗客は２６人に上った。

This is the first fire reported inside a Shinkansen car. The bullet train has boasted of its superb safety record since it began operating about half a century ago. That a passenger who just happened to be in the same car also died is terribly shocking.
　新幹線内での火災発生は初めてである。半世紀余りにわたり、高い安全性を誇ってきた新幹線で、たまたま乗り合わせた乗客が死亡した衝撃は大きい。

The Kanagawa prefectural police are investigating the incident as a case of suspected murder and arson of an inhabited structure. The investigation will focus on unraveling the actions of the male passenger up until the crime was committed.
　神奈川県警は殺人と現住建造物等放火の容疑で捜査している。男が犯行に至るまでの行動の解明が焦点になる。

The response of the train crew after the fire started seems to have been appropriate for the most part.
　火災発生後の乗務員の対応は、おおむね適切だったようだ。

After bringing the train to an emergency stop, the driver immediately grabbed an onboard fire extinguisher and started dousing the flames. A conductor followed the safety manual by quickly guiding fleeing passengers to cars toward the rear of the train.
　運転士は列車を緊急停止させた後、備え付けの消火器で即座に消火活動にあたった。車掌が乗客を後方の車両に避難誘導したのも、マニュアル通りの行動だった。

The floors and seats of Shinkansen cars are covered with fire-resistant material. These fire prevention measures were a factor in preventing the damage from spreading even further.
　車両の床面やシートには、燃えにくい素材が用いられている。こうした防火対策が被害の拡大を防いだ面もあろう。

There needs to be an investigation into why the female passenger was unable to escape the danger in time.
　一方、女性が逃げ遅れた理由については、検証が必要である。

Some observers have suggested that the absence of smoke extraction devices on the train contributed to the car filling with smoke. Is there room for improving equipment installed on Shinkansen trains? Lessons learned from this incident must be used to improve safety.
　排煙装置が車内にないことが、煙の充満を招いたとの見方もある。設備面で改善の余地はないのか。事件の教訓を安全性の向上に生かさねばならない。

Baggage check unrealistic

The man apparently started the fire after taking a plastic container containing an oil-like liquid out of his backpack.
　男は、油のような液体の入ったポリ容器をリュックサックから取り出して、犯行に及んだ。

Perhaps the only way to prevent people from bringing dangerous materials onto a Shinkansen is to conduct baggage inspections for every single passenger, just like the checks at airports.
　危険物の持ち込みを防ぐには、空港のように、乗客一人一人の手荷物検査を実施するしか手立てはないだろう。

However, one of the greatest attractions of the Shinkansen is the convenience of being able to board even after arriving at the station at the last minute before the train departs. This is something passenger planes cannot offer. It is not realistic to introduce baggage screening for Shinkansen trains carrying more than 1,000 passengers that operate on the dot at three-minute intervals during peak times.
　しかし、旅客機と異なり、発車間際に駅に着いても乗れる利便性が、新幹線の売り物である。１０００人以上を乗せ、ピーク時には３分間隔で正確に運行する新幹線に手荷物検査を導入するのは、現実的ではあるまい。

The Japan Railways Group and the police should strengthen their cooperation and heighten the frequency of security patrols on station platforms and in trains.
　ＪＲと警察が連携を強め、ホームや車内の巡回の頻度を高めることが求められる。

Most cars on bullet trains that run on the Tokaido Shinkansen line have security cameras in the decks of the cars. These cameras do not film the area where passengers sit. Footage taken by these cameras is apparently used, in principle, for follow-up checks in the event of a problem.
　東海道新幹線の大半の車両では、デッキに監視カメラが設置されているが、客室内は撮影していない。映像は原則として、トラブルなどがあった際の事後チェックに利用しているという。

We think JR should consider increasing the number of security cameras installed on Shinkansen trains to beef up the deterrent against onboard crime.
　犯罪の抑止効果を高めるため、設置箇所を増やすことも検討すべきではないか。

In May 2016, Japan will host a Group of Seven summit meeting (the Ise-Shima summit meeting). Tokyo is preparing to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.
　国内では、来年５月に主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）が開かれる。２０２０年東京五輪・パラリンピックも控えている。

Preparing countermeasures based on the assumption that unforeseen situations — including a terrorist attack — could occur is an urgent task.
　テロなど不測の事態を想定した対策が急務である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 2, 2015)Speech