Japan on Wednesday started inspecting fire-safety measures on subways nationwide in the wake of a fatal subway blaze in South Korea.
The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, along with local transport bureaus, launched inspections aimed at checking various fire-prevention steps, including designated evacuation routes, officials said.
According to the ministry, subway stations are subject to stricter fire prevention rules than aboveground stations because of the danger posed by enclosed spaces.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.