Staff at Shibuya Station in central Tokyo are preparing to provide additional guidance in English to foreign passengers when services on the Yamanote Line are partially suspended over the weekend.
East Japan Railway says train services that run clockwise on the line's outer loop will be shut down between Osaki and Ikebukuro stations all day Saturday. Services that run counterclockwise on the inner loop between the same stations will be shut down all day Sunday.
Shibuya Station has set up a seven-member team to accommodate passengers who do not understand Japanese as part of its preparations for the suspension.
The team has recorded 14 different audio instructions in English. The members have also made small English signboards that station staff will carry to provide information to passengers.
One member says the number of foreign tourists using the station is surging. The station offers easy access to popular spots in Shibuya, including the famous scramble crossing.
The member also says the team will be fully prepared so that everything will go smoothly.