Apr 24, 2026
Appeal to observe manners, but who's the audience?

On the Tobu Noda line, I noticed these posters with prominent English language exhortations to mind manners. In a smaller font, you can see the Japanese language translation. I wondered to whom this campaign is meant to appeal.
It turns out this is a project of Kodansha, a huge manga publisher. Using images from popular manga such as Attack on Titan and Blue Lock, the posters ask passengers to cover their mouths when they cough, bow correctly, and mind the gap on train platforms.
All well and good, but the posters assume that riders read English and/or Japanese. However, the vast majority of foreign passengers on the train I ride daily are not English speakers, and are likely on the language learning continuum, from basic to conversant in Japanese. They may struggle with English and Japanese literacy. And they're frequent passengers who could benefit from guidance on cultural expectations.
Have you seen this campaign? Do you think it is appealing and meaningful to visitors from abroad and foreign residents?
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