Facial recognition system to debut at Tokyo Games

Aug 08, 2018 | News On Japan

Aug 08, 2018 (NHK) - Facial recognition software is to be introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time in the history of the event.

The Games' organizing committee and major electronics maker NEC unveiled the new system to journalists on Tuesday.

About 300,000 people including athletes, volunteers and reporters are expected to enter secured areas during the Games.

The new system means only those whose images taken onsite match the data on their ID cards will be allowed admission.

The system will be introduced at all 43 venues and other facilities.

Officials of the committee and at NEC say this will prevent the lending of ID cards.

They say trial runs have shown that the admission process was 2.5 times faster than using security guards to visually match people to their photo IDs.

The committee's official in charge of security, Tsuyoshi Iwashita, said the number of security personnel could be cut and waiting lines will be shorter in the summer heat.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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