VOL.213 MARCH 2026
EXPLORING JAPANESE POTTERY [POLICY RELATED NEWS] Using Elevators and Escalators Safely in Japan

Elevators and escalators are essential means of vertical transportation that are familiar to all of us, yet using them incorrectly can lead to serious accidents. This article introduces initiatives by the government and installers to ensure the safe operation and use of elevators and escalators, drawing on lessons from past accidents, along with key points for users.

What users should know to avoid elevator accidents

In 2006, a fatal accident occurred in an elevator in a residential building located in Minato City, Tokyo. In this tragic incident, a high school student exiting an elevator with a bicycle was trapped and fatally injured when the car began to move upward while the doors remained open. In the subsequent investigation, the cause of the accident was found to be worn-out brake pads in the elevator’s braking system. In response to this incident,  Order for Enforcement of the Building Standards Act was amended in 2009, mandating the installation of Unintended Car Movement Protection (UCMP) devices¹ in all newly installed elevators. However, these new standards are not applied to elevators installed before 2009 until they undergo a full renovation, meaning that most these older elevators continue to be operated without these devices.

Therefore, in 2012, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) introduced a subsidy program to cover part of the cost of UCMP devices and promoted their wider adoption. In 2016, MLIT set out concrete standards for regular elevator inspections and announced operation and maintenance guidelines. These efforts were part of a broader initiative to ensure appropriate operation and maintenance of elevators, including educational outreach to installers and operators about safety measures. Partly as a result of these initiatives, the percentage of all elevators installed with the new safety devices — found to stand at only 17.4% by the survey of 2017 — has risen year on year, reaching 39.5% of the 780,000 or so elevators installed across Japan by the survey of 2025. However, with this figure still not reaching the 40% mark, further efforts are needed to promote safe operation and implement additional safety measures. In addition, efforts are being made to promote the widespread adoption of seismic emergency operation systems, which ensure that the elevator automatically stops at the nearest floor (enabling users to get out) when an earthquake occurs; it is recommended that symbols (see Fig. 1) be displayed to indicate that these safety devices are installed, to ensure peace of mind for passengers, and that information about safety be provided to those using elevators.

The elevator hall of Central Government Building No. 3, where MLIT headquarters is located (left); and an elevator with signage indicating that it is equipped with an Unintended Car Movement Protection (UCMP) device (right)
Photos: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Fig. 1: Symbols indicating that elevators are equipped with various safety devices

The symbol on the left indicates a UCMP; that on the right, a seismic emergency operation system. These symbols are often displayed around the buttons on the control panel in the elevator car, near stickers indicating proof of regular inspection reports, or around the doors where users get in and out.
Photos: Building Performance Standardization Association

What users should know to avoid escalator accidents

MLIT promotes a “Stand on Both Sides” policy for escalators, encouraging passengers to remain standing and not walk while on the escalator. However, it is still common to see people standing on one side of the escalator, leaving the other side open for those in a hurry to walk. Some passengers can only stand on one side of the escalator for physical reasons; others could be accompanying small children and may prefer to stand side by side for safety. Ensuring that escalators can be used comfortably by people in a variety of circumstances is a key challenge for today’s Japanese society. In a questionnaire carried out by the Japan Elevator Association in FY 2024, 90.2% of respondents agreed that “People should stop walking on escalators,” while 55.9% agreed with the statement “I have felt endangered when people walking on escalators and their bags, etc., have collided with me.” Walking on escalators can pose serious dangers, as it may lead to unexpected accidents. Falls can cause clothing or limbs to become caught in the machinery; and secondary accidents can also occur when falling passengers become entangled with other people and bring them down as well. Furthermore, a study undertaken in the United Kingdom (London) in 2015 confirmed that transportation efficiency is around 30% higher when passengers stand on both sides of the escalator, compared to leaving one side open for walkers. To encourage awareness, installers now place signs urging appropriate escalator use, while recorded announcements are played and security staff and conductors are stationed nearby; visitors are urged to follow these rules when using escalators.

■ Results of the Association’s questionnaire on elevator usage

• 1. A device which automatically stops the elevator car if it starts to move while the doors are still open.

Photo: JR EAST; The Japan Elevator Association; Building Performance Standardization Association; PIXTA