Face recognition for train passengers in use in Chiba Prefecture

A boarding system using a facial recognition technology was introduced at the Yamaman Yukarigaoka Line, a train service in a residential area in the city of Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, on Saturday. According to Yamaman, the operator of the line, it is the first time that a facial recognition-based boarding management system for general passengers has been put into practical use at a public transportation system in the country. After registering their face photo data and credit card information on a dedicated website in advance, passengers can board trains, without buying tickets, through cameras installed at the ticket gates at stations that recognize their faces. Passengers with commuter passes can also use the system. Yamaman introduced the system also to its bus service the same day.