Safety in focus as summer events see the return of crowds and foreign tourists
By Jadenne Radoc Cabahug, contributing writer
With throngs of foreign tourists visiting Japan for the first time in years, the country is gearing up for its first post-pandemic summer — a sweltering one — and safety will be a prime concern as visitors look to cut loose at festivals and fireworks shows.
Nearly 11 million people visited Japan in the first half of the year, about 64% of the pre-pandemic level in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. And major travel agency JTB estimates that the number of foreign visitors to the nation will jump to 21 million this year, bouncing back to about two-thirds of the 2019 level.
But with last year’s crush disaster in Seoul — killing at least 158 people — still fresh in people’s minds, concerns remain over what would happen if something similar happened in Japan, ahead of upcoming summer events like fireworks festivals and outdoor concerts.
De’Ja McKnabb of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been in Japan for two months and was interested in going to a fireworks festival before she left the country, but she was advised against it by local friends who warned of large crowds.
Densely crowded trains and stations can be overwhelming for foreign tourists, especially with people going back to offices and classes in person once again.
“When you get to Ikebukuro Station and you leave the train, everybody rushes,” McKnabb said at Sensoji Temple, which is usually crowded with tourists.
“I usually can navigate on my own, but when you’re leading a big group it can be a little stressful because you don’t want to lose anybody — you don’t want anyone to get trampled,” McKnabb said.
Nearly 11 million people visited Japan in the first half of the year, about 64% of the pre-pandemic level in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. And major travel agency JTB estimates that the number of foreign visitors to the nation will jump to 21 million this year, bouncing back to about two-thirds of the 2019 level.
But with last year’s crush disaster in Seoul — killing at least 158 people — still fresh in people’s minds, concerns remain over what would happen if something similar happened in Japan, ahead of upcoming summer events like fireworks festivals and outdoor concerts.
De’Ja McKnabb of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been in Japan for two months and was interested in going to a fireworks festival before she left the country, but she was advised against it by local friends who warned of large crowds.
Densely crowded trains and stations can be overwhelming for foreign tourists, especially with people going back to offices and classes in person once again.
“When you get to Ikebukuro Station and you leave the train, everybody rushes,” McKnabb said at Sensoji Temple, which is usually crowded with tourists.
“I usually can navigate on my own, but when you’re leading a big group it can be a little stressful because you don’t want to lose anybody — you don’t want anyone to get trampled,” McKnabb said.
Current Measures
When it comes to events, organizers are legally required to have a set crowd-control plan in place, dispatching one or two government-qualified security personnel on the ground depending on the scale of the event.
Police will be dispatched if the event takes place in public areas — such as fireworks festivals and marathons.
For the Sumida River Fireworks Festival this coming Saturday, organizers are asking people to watch the event while they walk through one-way streets, instead of stopping or sitting in one place, since there are no designated areas for sit-down viewing.
They are also asking visitors to be wary of heatstroke and crowding around the limited toilets available, with visitors asked to consider using other public toilets. Officials have also suggested staggered departure times to avoid crowding. Meanwhile, organizers have prohibited people from taking photos with selfie sticks, climbing fences or reserving places on streets.
Police will be dispatched if the event takes place in public areas — such as fireworks festivals and marathons.
For the Sumida River Fireworks Festival this coming Saturday, organizers are asking people to watch the event while they walk through one-way streets, instead of stopping or sitting in one place, since there are no designated areas for sit-down viewing.
They are also asking visitors to be wary of heatstroke and crowding around the limited toilets available, with visitors asked to consider using other public toilets. Officials have also suggested staggered departure times to avoid crowding. Meanwhile, organizers have prohibited people from taking photos with selfie sticks, climbing fences or reserving places on streets.
Japan’s crowd control regulations tightened in the wake of a pedestrian crush after a 2001 fireworks show in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, which left 11 people dead and 247 injured.
But crowds at outdoor events such as fireworks festivals can grow quickly in a short amount of time, presenting a potential risk, especially for those who don’t understand the language.
While Japanese speakers will understand when organizers or authorities give directions, foreign visitors or residents who don’t speak the language may not catch the meaning and panic, said Katsuhiro Nishinari, a University of Tokyo professor well-versed in crowd control.
While providing instructions in English through signage or other ways is important, “currently it’s not sufficient enough,” said Nishinari, who advised the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is now helping to advise organizers of large-scale events that attract a high number of foreign nationals.
But crowds at outdoor events such as fireworks festivals can grow quickly in a short amount of time, presenting a potential risk, especially for those who don’t understand the language.
While Japanese speakers will understand when organizers or authorities give directions, foreign visitors or residents who don’t speak the language may not catch the meaning and panic, said Katsuhiro Nishinari, a University of Tokyo professor well-versed in crowd control.
While providing instructions in English through signage or other ways is important, “currently it’s not sufficient enough,” said Nishinari, who advised the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is now helping to advise organizers of large-scale events that attract a high number of foreign nationals.
Pictograms and multilanguage signage
With the rising number of foreign tourists, more signage has been installed using foreign languages — usually English, Chinese and Korean.
At major stations and on trains, instructions are announced in Japanese first, followed by English. There are also lines and arrows on floors to direct the flow of traffic and show whether to walk on the right or the left to avoid collisions. Posters with photos have also been set up to show how to escape trains through windows or other exits in times of emergency.
But while these multilingual signs are often in place in public areas in major cities, they may not be available at smaller venues.
“Language is sometimes dangerous or difficult to communicate, so we are using lights (at exits) or pictograms,” said Nishinari, the world’s leading expert in “jamology,” the study of the flow of people and cars.
At major stations and on trains, instructions are announced in Japanese first, followed by English. There are also lines and arrows on floors to direct the flow of traffic and show whether to walk on the right or the left to avoid collisions. Posters with photos have also been set up to show how to escape trains through windows or other exits in times of emergency.
But while these multilingual signs are often in place in public areas in major cities, they may not be available at smaller venues.
“Language is sometimes dangerous or difficult to communicate, so we are using lights (at exits) or pictograms,” said Nishinari, the world’s leading expert in “jamology,” the study of the flow of people and cars.
Citing poor planning as the cause of the Seoul crowd crush, Nishinari said the only way to avoid similar incidents is to plan ahead and keep communication open between event organizers, police and stakeholders to ensure safety and guide the flow of traffic toward exit routes.
In one example of planning ahead, Tokyo Dome now communicates with the four train stations around it. Cameras have also been installed to count the number of people going to a baseball game and leaving, allowing officials to guide people toward the right station and avoid streets from crowding.
In one example of planning ahead, Tokyo Dome now communicates with the four train stations around it. Cameras have also been installed to count the number of people going to a baseball game and leaving, allowing officials to guide people toward the right station and avoid streets from crowding.
Tips and tricks
There are some steps attendees can take at large events to ensure their safety. One of the first tips is to know where all of the exits are and the routes to each of them.
Checking out an event venue’s website beforehand can also help, including information about weather forecasts, luggage storage and time changes.
Since some foreign visitors travel in large groups with large amounts of luggage, Nishinari expressed concern "about the risk of collision between people.”
With COVID-19 downgraded to a category on par with seasonal flu in May, summer events are likely to see double or triple the crowd levels compared with before the pandemic, Nishinari said.
If there is a high density of people, the key is to become familiar with the area by arriving early and paying attention to the crowd’s size, he said.
If you’re caught in a crowd and cannot escape, Nishinari recommends putting your arms up in a boxing style — placing your arms over your chest with your fists in front of your face — which will protect your chest and ensure you have room to breathe.
“I analyzed the victims in (South Korea’s) Itaewon (district of Seoul) and found that they were pressed by other people,” Nishinari said. “If there is space in front of you, then you can at least breathe. This pose can save your life.”
But what should you do if you see a fast-growing crowd approaching?
“Then the only advice is to please escape immediately,” said Nishinari.
Checking out an event venue’s website beforehand can also help, including information about weather forecasts, luggage storage and time changes.
Since some foreign visitors travel in large groups with large amounts of luggage, Nishinari expressed concern "about the risk of collision between people.”
With COVID-19 downgraded to a category on par with seasonal flu in May, summer events are likely to see double or triple the crowd levels compared with before the pandemic, Nishinari said.
If there is a high density of people, the key is to become familiar with the area by arriving early and paying attention to the crowd’s size, he said.
If you’re caught in a crowd and cannot escape, Nishinari recommends putting your arms up in a boxing style — placing your arms over your chest with your fists in front of your face — which will protect your chest and ensure you have room to breathe.
“I analyzed the victims in (South Korea’s) Itaewon (district of Seoul) and found that they were pressed by other people,” Nishinari said. “If there is space in front of you, then you can at least breathe. This pose can save your life.”
But what should you do if you see a fast-growing crowd approaching?
“Then the only advice is to please escape immediately,” said Nishinari.