Train fans behaving badly in Japan - 15th April 2022

Japan is famous for its trains. The trains use modern technology and they're always on time. There are lots of train fans or 'trainspotters' in Japan and around the world. The fans like watching or riding on the trains. Some like the lunches from stations!

But now there's a problem with one group. These trainspotters want to get the perfect photograph. Sometimes they start shouting and fighting.

Tsutomu Okawa's a train fan. He isn't happy.

Tsutomu Okawa: "I hear some fanatic train fans went overboard and even stopped a train. It's too much, too heated. Train companies have also had to give warnings that some fans' behaviours may be dangerous. I myself want to show train operators that some fans like me are well aware of safety when taking pictures. In that way, I want to remove the impression that the 'toritetsu' fans are notorious."

In Japan, there are around five million fans. Train fans are usually quiet and polite.

Masao Oda is about 70. He started watching trains a long time ago. He's unhappy with the new fans too.

Masao Oda: "The number of train fans has increased since digital cameras became mainstream. Now anyone can take train photos with a digital camera. People flock to a place like this more casually, not like before when we had to get a position very early in the morning. And we have better tripods too. Now we are banned from using ladder steps or tripods at a platform. The manners have gotten worse for sure."

Train companies are looking at the problem. Some stop trainspotters going onto the railway lines. But the East Japan Railway company is trying a different way. They're using the fans' photos on the company's social media. They want to help the fans to be nice to each other.