Bed Bugs Spotted on Train Seat in Tokyo

Mar 13, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Bed bugs, known for their alarming reproductive rate, have been spotted on a train seat in the Tokyo metropolitan area. As the weather warms up, the number of incidents is expected to rise.

A photo posted on social media with the caption, "I'm on my way home on the train, but is this a bed bug?!" has ignited fears among the general public.

A couple from Tochigi Prefecture reported on March 10th that they had found a bed bug on a train seat.

The woman who posted the photo said, "At first, I thought there was a spider on the seat."

The couple claimed to have found the bed bug on a JR Utsunomiya Line train. They boarded at Ueno Station and were en route to Oyama Station.

The woman said, "Around 6:30 p.m., after passing Omiya Station, I found a bed bug on the seat next to my husband, who was sitting across from me in a box seat. It was about 5 mm in size."

The woman captured the bug with cellophane tape she had with her. The train was empty, with few passengers, but she was too scared to sit down.

Is This Bug Really a Bed Bug?

Ken Sasaki, Technical Committee Chairman of the Tokyo Pest Control Association, confirmed, "This is definitely a bed bug, based on its shape. While stink bugs, which are relatives, have broad wings that allow them to fly, bed bugs have degenerated wings and cannot fly."

In response to the program's inquiry, JR East's public relations stated, "It is true that a passenger reported the incident at Oyama Station. We were able to identify the train car based on the SNS post, and we carried out fumigation inside the car on March 11th."

A 30-year-old said, "It's a bit unpleasant. I think I would be very surprised if I were actually in that situation."

A 20-year-old commented, "It's surprising that they can survive in such places."

A 50-year-old expressed concern, "I'm afraid of bringing them home."

Bed Bug Incidents Increase Without Overseas Travel

In recent years, there has been a surge in incidents involving "super bed bugs" that are resistant to insecticides and have entered the country from abroad.

A man in his 20s who suffered from bed bugs at an accommodation facility in Osaka City last August, shared, "My entire legs and stomach were affected. It felt like being stabbed with a needle, or rather, there was a distinct itch that lasted a long time."

A woman who suddenly experienced intense itching at home also shared her story.

A woman in her 20s living in the Kanto region said, "I've never been abroad, and I was just living my normal life when they entered my home."

Initially, the cause was unknown, but after a while, a large number of bed bugs were found in her home.

The woman from the Kanto region advised, "If you see one bed bug in your home, it's probably already too late to do anything."

In Tokyo, the number of bed bug consultations received last year was 350, a 40% increase from the previous year.

Sasaki, the Technical Committee Chairman, warned, "Honestly, nowadays, it's entirely possible for bed bugs to be found in ordinary households. They can easily attach to bags or clothes, and if you walk outside, you could be carrying them around. The warmer the weather, the more active they become."

Source: ANN

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