NEC to provide facial recognition at airport customs

NEC Corp has received an order from Japan Customs for an electronic customs procedure gate featuring facial recognition for use at the customs inspection area at Japan's busiest international airport. Demonstration trials of the electronic customs procedure gate are scheduled to begin at Terminal 3 of Narita International Airport from April 2019.

This will be the first time that facial recognition technology is used for customs procedures at an airport in Japan.

The electronic procedure gate will be installed at the customs inspection area where passengers proceed to after being admitted through immigration. Travelers' identities will be confirmed at a kiosk terminal (electronic declaration terminal) and at an exit gate equipped with NEC's facial recognition technology, which boasts the world's No. 1 recognition accuracy.

Furthermore, a smartphone application will facilitate electronic baggage declaration by enabling travelers to register baggage contents and passport information. These methods are expected to reduce passenger stress by relieving congestion and shortening waiting time in the customs inspection area.

The facial image taken at the electronic procedure gate is only used for identification purposes and is deleted in an appropriate manner after use.

"NEC regards its safety business and the 'NEC Safer Cities' campaign as keys to expanding and enhancing its global business," said Ryouji Hayashi, Senior Vice President, NEC. "NEC has already provided biometric identification systems, including facial recognition, to approximately 50 airports around the world, and we look forward to capitalizing on this experience and know-how to contribute further to the security and safety of social infrastructure everywhere."

© Japan Today