Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, recognized as the world’s busiest railway station, is conducting a trial of mobile robotic trash bins to assess their potential in supporting sanitation staff, a representative from the rail operator said on September 18. Serving over 2.7 million passengers daily, the sprawling transport hub managed in part by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) faces significant challenges in waste collection, with traditional bins manually emptied more than ten times a day.

In recent years, the number of trash receptacles within JR East’s section of the station has been reduced to enhance cleanliness and security. Currently, there are only seven sets of bins and recycling stations scattered across the facility, which spans two above-ground floors and an extensive underground concourse. Against this backdrop, the operator began testing three automated bins each about one meter tall, capable of moving slowly at 20 centimeters per second.

“These bins are designed to operate safely and autonomously in an environment as busy as Shinjuku Station,” said Shinya Kawamichi, a research official at JR East. “Their slow pace allows passengers to dispose of trash conveniently, and they are programmed to stop immediately when necessary.” The trial, which will continue until late November, focuses on deploying the robots in the station’s congested underground area, where they collect waste and transport it to human attendants for disposal.

Beyond operational functionality, the experiment aims to examine whether commuters are receptive to this new form of waste management and how effectively the robots can navigate crowded pedestrian traffic. The devices, characterized by their sizeable frames and large cartoonish eyes, have attracted attention from station visitors, including tourists who often pause to take photographs.

German train driver Chris Genselien, 30, commented on the robots’ appearance, noting, “The eyes are very cute,” and remarked on the scarcity of bins in Japanese train stations in general, which can pose challenges for travelers seeking a place to discard trash.

Some local commuters attribute the overall cleanliness of Japanese stations to a cultural habit of carrying personal waste home rather than relying heavily on public trash bins. JR East’s initiative reflects a broader interest in leveraging technology to maintain order and hygiene in densely populated urban transit environments, with potential to expand such applications if the trial proves successful.