On the 25th of this month, at the railroad crossing of the Kintetsu Kashihara Line in Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture, an older sister of a visually impaired woman who died in contact with a train said, "I think I was regrettable due to an accident caused by a combination of bad luck. I want you to create a town where people with disabilities can live comfortably, such as by installing a Braille block on the railroad crossing. "

On the 25th of this month, at a railroad crossing on the Kintetsu Kashihara Line in Yamatokoriyama City, a visually impaired Yoko Takagaki (50) died in contact with a train while trying to cross the railroad crossing with a white stick in her hand.



Police are investigating that Mr. Takagaki, who entered the railroad crossing, had an accident because he could not find his position because there was no Braille block.

Mayumi (51), Takagaki's older sister, told NHK that "I think it was an accident caused by a combination of various misfortunes. I think he was also regrettable."



According to Mayumi, Takagaki suffered from diabetes when she was a high school student and became blind at the age of 21, but she was still active, traveling alone to Tokyo.



She was qualified as a Shinkyu teacher and continued to live alone.



She had just moved near her parents'house a week ago and was careful not to leave her mother alone when eating, and was on her way home from her parents' house on the day of the accident.



Regarding the fact that the Braille block was not installed at the railroad crossing at the site, Mayumi said, "If possible, I would like you to install a Braille block and she wants to create a town where people with disabilities can live comfortably." I did.

Visually impaired group “Country, etc. take measures”

A group made up of visually impaired people in Nara Prefecture has a policy of requesting measures from the national government, such as installing Braille blocks inside railroad crossings.



The day after the accident, Chairman Toshihiro Tatsumi, a group of visually impaired people, visited the site and handed flowers.



Chairman Tatsumi crossed the railroad crossing by himself using a white stick, confirmed the position of the Braille block in front of the barrier, and said that the Braille block was not installed in the railroad crossing. It's difficult to figure out. "



Until now, groups have requested the installation of Braille blocks that allow visually impaired people to know whether they are inside or outside the railroad crossing, but according to the group, they have not yet been installed anywhere at railroad crossings in Nara Prefecture.



In light of this accident, Chairman Tatsumi expressed his intention to ask the government to install a Braille block inside the railroad crossing, and said, "If you see a visually impaired person who is likely to have an accident, immediately speak out. I want you to let me know the danger. "

At the railroad crossing with Braille blocks, Toyonaka, Osaka

At the railroad crossing near Hattori-Tenjin Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line in Toyonaka City, Osaka, a Braille block is installed inside.



The shape and arrangement of the protrusions on the Braille block are different inside and outside the railroad crossing, so that visually impaired people can understand whether they are inside or outside the railroad crossing.



In Osaka Prefecture, which manages roads with railroad crossings, in response to requests from visually impaired people who use nearby welfare facilities, Braille blocks will be installed in these railroad crossings after consultation with police and railway companies. Did.



Even after the installation, we are continuing to make adjustments such as changing the position of the Braille block by incorporating the opinions of the visually impaired.



The installation cost was about 200,000 yen.



Tomo Yamaguchi, chief of the Ikeda Civil Engineering Office in Osaka Prefecture, said, "We have set up the facility so that we can cross it with peace of mind. I think it is necessary to establish national standards for coordination with railway companies." rice field.

Installation in Braille block railroad crossing

Braille blocks, which are used as a guide for visually impaired people when walking, are not being installed in railroad crossings in various places.



The standards for installing Braille blocks are indicated by national ministerial ordinances and guidelines.



According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Braille blocks are stipulated in the ministerial ordinance to be "installed where necessary", and the parties concerned discuss and individually determine where the "necessary place" is, and the road administrator. Will install.



As for the railroad crossing, there are no guidelines, so we want the local government to make individual decisions according to the local situation.



According to NHK's interviews with railway companies, there are only four Braille blocks installed in railroad crossings in Kansai, including two at Hankyu Railway and two at Nankai Electric Railway. ..



▽ JR, ▽ Kintetsu, ▽ Keihan Electric Railway, and ▽ Hanshin Electric Railway have no place where Braille blocks are installed in the railroad crossing.



Regarding the current situation where the installation of Braille blocks in railroad crossings is not progressing, Professor Katsumi Tokuda of the University of Tsukuba, who is familiar with barrier-free, said, "If there is a Braille block, and if you are on it, you will know that it is dangerous inside the railroad crossing. It is necessary to save lives. I want the national and local governments to give high priority to the introduction. "



On top of that, as a measure for the visually impaired, he said, "I want welfare personnel and disabled people's groups to hold study sessions to learn how to evacuate if left behind at railroad crossings to gain knowledge." ..