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Friday, 16th October 2015
In Japan Travel News,
Japan tests full body scanners at 3 international airports
Security at airports is always being updated, with authorities keen to ensure their practices are up to scratch.
With this in mind, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan is testing body scanners at three of its major airports.
Kansai International Airport has had the new technology introduced, with the intention of trialling it on passengers for 12 days.
Narita and Haneda international airports will also be embracing the latest scanners, as four different versions are tested from now until December.
Passengers will be guided through the process by security staff as usual, but the gadgets are designed to keep them safe.
While conventional metal detectors can't detect all weapons and explosives, the new scanners employ a small number of radio waves to help do the job, reports Sankei Shimbun.
These could be ceramic knives or chemical and plastic explosives, which represent as big a threat to security as metal-based items.
The inspection takes around three minutes per person and involves them walking into the scanner and standing still with their hands raised.
Japan tested similar scanners in 2010, but they were not rolled out nationwide, as passengers' body shapes were clearly outlined.
This was considered a privacy issue and the latest set of scanners to be tested do not show the outlines of bodies during the security process.
If the trials go well, full body scanners are expected to be put in place at all international airports in Japan by 2020.
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