Mandatory from today's airport "security inspection" Penalties for violations

From the 10th, passengers will be required to undergo a "security check" before boarding an airplane at the airport.

Until now, it was done by asking passengers for cooperation, and there were some troubles due to resistance to the inspection, but in the future, penalties will be set if there is a violation.

Security checks that passengers receive before boarding an airplane at the airport check for weapons and explosives to prevent terrorism and crime.

The revised Aviation Law, which came into effect on the 10th, requires passengers to undergo security inspections, and if they violate it, they will be punished with imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 500,000 yen.

Until now, security inspections have been based on national instructions but are not enforceable, and security inspectors from security companies have asked passengers for their cooperation.

For this reason, it was difficult for the inspector to perform the inspection with a proper attitude, and there were problems such as ranting by passengers and violence, and weapons were placed in the restricted area without being able to carefully investigate. There were a series of cases where they were brought in and affected the operation.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says that by making it mandatory, smooth security inspections can be realized and the working environment of inspectors can be expected to improve.

Koichi Minato, director of the Aviation Security Measures Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said, "I think this obligation will lead to further safety. I would like you to be inspected at the airport according to the instructions."

Security inspector "I hope that understanding of inspection will advance"

Natsutsuki Watanabe, a 25-year-old security inspector at Haneda Airport, is in charge of physical examination of passengers and sorting of baggage at the security checkpoint for domestic flights.

She found it rewarding to see off passengers leaving with a smile, but in 2019 before the Olympics, security inspection rules became stricter, requiring her to take off her ankle-covering shoes, coats and other jackets. Since then, I feel that the number of non-cooperative people has increased.

When measuring the size of the baggage to be carried on board, some people throw off their shoes and people who hit unpleasant words, saying, "Don't touch it. It's not a cheap item that you can buy with your salary." It means that there were also people.

For this reason, we hope that the mandatory security inspection will improve understanding of the inspection and reduce abuse and excessive behavior.

In a security inspection training conducted in-house before making it mandatory, Mr. Watanabe explained to passengers who did not try to take off their shoes, "I hate it because it is troublesome", "I can not pass through unless I change to slippers." However, if I still refused the inspection, I was checking the procedure to call the person in charge promptly.

Mr. Watanabe said, "I intend to treat all of our customers politely, but some people seem to be bossy and intimidating, and I am often exposed to terrible words. Inspection is obligatory, but I pretend to be authorized. I would like to do it while thinking about how to convey it to customers and make them convinced, without holding it up. "

Chairman of the Council of Experts "This is the world standard"

Professor Hajime Tozaki of JF Oberlin University, who chairs the National Council of Experts to review security inspections, said, "Security inspectors have no legal authority so far and proceed with inspections by asking passengers. It's been a big change to be able to force inspections based on legal grounds, and I think it has become a global standard. "

"The threat of terrorism is approaching Asia, and unlike other means of transportation, aircraft safety has no escape once it takes off. Passengers have to curb their privacy to some extent, and each and every one of them. Unless we share our awareness and cooperate, safety is not guaranteed. "

On top of that, he said, "There are still issues of cost burden and who is responsible. Now, the airline company has full responsibility, which is a peculiar form in the world. However, it is necessary to investigate the actual situation overseas and consider that the airport company will be responsible. "