Dec 20 (Japan Today) - East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has begun a campaign to encourage commuters to stand still on escalators. The campaign began at Tokyo Station on Monday.
It is common in Japan for people to form a line on the left side of escalators while the other side is for those who want to rush up or down the escalator.
JR East said it wants to establish the norm of having commuters stand still on escalators as walking on moving steps can lead to accidents such as falling down or being knocked down by someone who loses their balance, Fuji TV reported.
There are also dangers for those with disability or injuries. For example, a person whose body is disabled on their left side would need to stand on the right side of an escalator if they want to hold on to the handrail. Furthermore, according to research, 30 percent more people will be able to use escalators if people line up on both sides instead of letting people walk on one side.
