The transport ministry set up a panel Tuesday to explore ways to prevent public transportation accidents caused by human error, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa said.
The panel represents the ministry's first full-fledged effort to deal with the issue in response to a rash of accidents and problems involving public transportation, including the April train crash that killed 107 people in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture.
"There have been frequent major accidents and problems caused by human error in public transport systems," Kitagawa said. "We need comprehensive, exhaustive preventive measures."