Three automated bins are being trialled at Shinjuku Station, where more than 2.7 million passengers pass through the wider complex each day. Standing just over one metre tall and moving at a cautious 20 centimetres per second, the machines can stop quickly around passengers. The trial began on 8 September and runs until 20 November on weekdays between 10:00 and 17:00 on the first basement-level paid concourse.
Run by East Japan Railway in the world’s busiest rail hub, the project addresses a setting where fixed bins have been reduced for cleanliness and security, and traditional bins are emptied manually more than 10 times a day. The robots follow pre-programmed circular routes between ticket gates to collect general waste and plastic bottles, returning autonomously to a collection point when full.
Designed to assist human workers rather than replace them, Japan Railway is assessing commuter engagement and safe navigation through busy underground areas, using video and sensor data solely for analysis.
While some passengers have welcomed the concept, tourists have been drawn to the devices’ large, googly eyes and train-themed livery featuring the station mascot, Shinjukuma.