Tokyo train stations unveil ticket gates with facial recognition technology

TOKYO – Automatic ticket gates that use facial recognition technology were introduced at the Tobu Tojo Line’s Ikebukuro and Kami-Itabashi stations on Wednesday. This marks the first such implementation on a Tokyo railway.

The system uses a dedicated camera attached to an automatic ticket gate to recognize the faces of passengers passing through. One gate has been installed at each station.

For the time being, the service is limited to commuter pass holders boarding or alighting at these stations. Facial image data and commuter pass information must be registered in advance.

A 45-year-old office worker from Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, used the system at Ikebukuro Station on Wednesday morning. “It was a hassle to have to take out my commuter pass every time, so I registered right away. I was surprised at how smoothly I was able to pass through. It went much more smoothly than I expected,” he said.

Tobu Railway Co. also installed the system at Tobu Utsunomiya Station in Utsunomiya in May and plans to expand its use to additional lines and stations in the future. Osaka Metro Co. has been using the system at nearly all its 130 stations in March last year.