Introduction to Osaka Metro’s “Facial Recognition Ticket Gates”

Today, we'll introduce “Osaka Metro Starts Testing Facial Recognition Ticket Gates（【改札機「顔パス」通過 大阪メトロが実証実験】)" a video by Kyodo News.
This is a news video of Osaka Metro starting the testing of facial recognition ticket gates, in anticipation of the World Expo in Kansai.

In December 2019, Osaka Metro released information of the next generation facial recognition ticket gates.
By registering your faces photo data in advance, you can pass through ticket gates with facial recognition without using the conventional tickets and IC cards, which is an amazing technology.
In the video, you can see Japan’s cutting edge technology. Please enjoy.

What Kind of System Is Osaka Metro’s Facial Recognition Ticket Gate?

Source :YouTube screenshot

Osaka Metro installed the test ticket gate at the Dome-mae Chiyozaki Station on the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line in Osaka City’s west ward, and demonstrated its use before the media.
As seen from 0:07 in the video, there are cameras set at the ticket gates, and these cameras recognize people’s faces passing through the gate, and the gate immediately opens.

If people don’t need to take out tickets and IC cards, they can use stations without stress even when carrying heavy luggage or shopping bags.
You can see in the video from 1:18 a passenger carrying big bags on both hands passing through the gate smoothly.

The scene of passengers passing through the gate with facial recognition is introduced in the video from 0:26.
In the video, Osaka Metro workers are shown passing through the gate with facial recognition, but in the future, they will build up systems so that ordinary passengers can use it as well.

The Installation and Future Prospects of Osaka Metro’s Facial Recognition Ticket Gates

Photo：Ticket gates

Maybe it won’t be too long until people are passing the ticket gates with facial recognition and ticket vending machines disappear from stations.
If no ticket vending machines are needed, it will be a cost reduction for railway companies, so it can be said that there are many benefits.

This system is only a system using facial recognition technology, so if you are wearing masks and hats it leads to matching failure, and the gates don’t open.
From now on, they will brush up the technology to improve on the ease of use for passengers.

Summary of Osaka Metro’s Facial Recognition Ticket Gates

Source :YouTube screenshot

Technology of ticket gates opening through facial recognition is unprecedented, and Osaka Metro is garnering a lot of attention for this first attempt.
Osaka Metro aims to install the facial recognition ticket gates to all stations by fiscal year 2024, in time for the World Expo in Osaka.

These days, many technologies have become wide spread, such as cashless payments and QR codes.
It can be said that these facial recognition ticket gates are one of these shifts toward the next-generation.

【Official Website】Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
https://www.expo2025.or.jp/en/