Airports in Japan asked to ensure barrier-free access before Olympics

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has examined the public transportation routes from Haneda and Narita airports, both serving Tokyo, to train stations near Games venues. It found some facilities failed to meet the state's barrier-free requirements.

Elevator audio assistance systems for visually disabled people in some airport buildings and train stations as well as guidance displays showing the wheelchair accessibility of platforms at some stations failed to meet the barrier-free criteria, the ministry said in a report released Friday.

The ministry checked the facilities by having physically disabled people travel the routes.

The operators are obliged to meet the barrier-free criteria at the time of building or renovating facilities.

The ministry's is asking the operators to fix such problems as early as possible before the Olympics.

Source: Kyodo