<p class="bodytext">A visually impaired Paralympian was hit by a self-driving bus in the athletes' village in Tokyo, suffering head and leg injuries, Japanese media said Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Toyota, which developed the autonomous shuttle buses used in the compound, said it had suspended operation of the vehicles after the accident on Thursday afternoon.</p>.<p class="bodytext">One of its electric buses "made contact with a pedestrian who is visually impaired" on a pedestrian crossing, Toyota said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We deeply apologise for those who suffered injuries. We are fully cooperating with the police on the case," the company added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several major local media outlets named the injured pedestrian as Japanese judo athlete Aramitsu Kitazono.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-year-old fell and will need two weeks to recover from his injuries after being treated at the village's clinic, the reports said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tokyo 2020 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kitazono was due to compete in the men's 81-kilogram division on Saturday. It was unclear if his injuries meant he could not fight.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two bus operators -- on board to supervise the autonomous driving -- said they noticed the athlete, but thought he would stop walking as the bus was approaching, according to Japan's Asahi daily.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mainichi daily said the bus automatically stopped but the operators pressed the start button as they did not think he would walk out on to the road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five passengers were aboard but no one was injured, the Asahi said, adding that the athlete was not holding a cane and there was a traffic-control guard at the crossing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thousands of athletes and team officials are staying in the Paralympic Village for the virus-delayed Games that began on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The self-driving buses were also used in the athletes' village during the Olympics.</p>
<p class="bodytext">A visually impaired Paralympian was hit by a self-driving bus in the athletes' village in Tokyo, suffering head and leg injuries, Japanese media said Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Toyota, which developed the autonomous shuttle buses used in the compound, said it had suspended operation of the vehicles after the accident on Thursday afternoon.</p>.<p class="bodytext">One of its electric buses "made contact with a pedestrian who is visually impaired" on a pedestrian crossing, Toyota said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We deeply apologise for those who suffered injuries. We are fully cooperating with the police on the case," the company added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several major local media outlets named the injured pedestrian as Japanese judo athlete Aramitsu Kitazono.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-year-old fell and will need two weeks to recover from his injuries after being treated at the village's clinic, the reports said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Tokyo 2020 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Kitazono was due to compete in the men's 81-kilogram division on Saturday. It was unclear if his injuries meant he could not fight.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two bus operators -- on board to supervise the autonomous driving -- said they noticed the athlete, but thought he would stop walking as the bus was approaching, according to Japan's Asahi daily.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mainichi daily said the bus automatically stopped but the operators pressed the start button as they did not think he would walk out on to the road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five passengers were aboard but no one was injured, the Asahi said, adding that the athlete was not holding a cane and there was a traffic-control guard at the crossing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thousands of athletes and team officials are staying in the Paralympic Village for the virus-delayed Games that began on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The self-driving buses were also used in the athletes' village during the Olympics.</p>