Japanese Paralympic judoka with visual impairment hit by autonomous bus in athletes village

A visually impaired Paralympian has been left with injuries that will take about two weeks to heal after being hit by an autonomous bus in the athletes village, police said Friday.

The Paralympian is Japanese judoka Aramitsu Kitazono, competing in the men’s 81-kilogram division. The bus was turning right at an intersection in the village when it hit the 30-year-old who was walking on a pedestrian crossing around 2 p.m. on Thursday, the police said.

E-Palette autonomous electric buses developed by Toyota Motor Corp. are being used in the village around the clock. Just before the accident, the bus stopped after its sensor detected a security guard who was close to the intersection, according to the police.

The accident, which left Kitazono with bruises on his head and body, is believed to have occurred shortly after it moved again with the help of an operator in the vehicle, they said.

Kitazono’s first match in his third Paralympics is scheduled for Saturday, but he and his coach made the decision skip the competition in order to recover.

The two operators and five passengers on the bus at the time were not injured, according to the police.

“The shuttle bus service in the Village has been temporarily suspended and operations will be resumed as soon as it is deemed safe to do so,” said Toyota and Paralympic organizers in a statement.

“We deeply apologize for those who suffered injuries. We are fully cooperating with the police on the case,” the company added.

Following a one-year postponement, the Paralympics, the world’s biggest sporting event for athletes with disabilities, started Tuesday in Tokyo.