As Japanese companies increasingly embrace flexible work arrangements during the pandemic, even an operator of bullet trains is having to accommodate passengers who choose to telework during the 2.5-hour trip between Tokyo and Osaka. (Nikkei)
Reservations for Shinkansen bullet trains for the year-end and New Year holidays have fallen to a record low due to the spread of the coronavirus in Japan. (NHK)
Typhoon Haishen has passed by the southwestern island of Kyushu, but authorities in Japan are calling on people to remain on alert. (NHK)
Disruption to train and flight services is expected in western Japan from Saturday due to the approach of powerful Typhoon Haishen. (NHK)
Sanyo Chemical Industries' rechargeable battery made almost entirely of plastic is now powering an unmanned submarine by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in a test run, with the promise of doubling the vehicle's operation range to 16 hours. ()
A 54-year-old man in custody for alleged illicit filming has been arrested again on suspicion of theft of a school girl’s uniform, police said on Tuesday, reports Kyodo News (June 2). (tokyoreporter.com)
New rules requiring passengers to reserve space free of charge for their extra-large luggage on some shinkansen lines took effect Wednesday, in response to an increase in foreign tourists in recent years. (Japan Times)
The number of passengers on shinkansen and limited express trains during this year's Golden Week holidays plunged 95 percent from a year earlier amid the coronavirus outbreak, data from six major railway companies showed Thursday. (Japan Today)
Transport and roads in Japan are crowded with people returning from new year holidays in their hometowns or abroad. (NHK)
The Japanese market for membership resort hotels is reviving and thriving, luring an expanding population of wealthy individuals and corporations looking for new employee perks alike. (Nikkei)
Central Japan Railway will run 12 of its fastest bullet trains between Tokyo and Osaka each hour during high-demand periods starting next spring, up from the usual 10, as newer, faster trains allow for a more packed schedule. (Nikkei)
Central Japan Railway plans to expand its ticketless boarding service for the Tokyo-Osaka shinkansen bullet train line as early as April, allowing more foreign visitors to pay for seats in advance abroad. (Nikkei)
Passengers on Shinkansen trains with large pieces of luggage will be encouraged to make reservations from May of next year. The change is part of the imposition of stricter security preceding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (NHK)
People who traveled in Japan by rail, air and road decreased from a year earlier during the Bon summer holidays due to a heavy storm. (Japan Times)
For many in Japan, this year’s Bon holiday period in mid-August may be expanded to nine consecutive days, but not everyone is excited about the idea of a long break due to fears that their work will keep piling up. (Japan Times)
Free Wi-Fi has become available at all 108 shinkansen bullet train stations in Japan ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, data from the transport ministry showed Tuesday. (Kyodo)
On Monday morning, the Nozomi 114 bullet train was making its regularly scheduled run from Hiroshima to Tokyo. Its route along the Sanyo/Tokkaido Shinkansen line provides views of some of Japan’s largest cities and, if the weather is clear, even Mt. Fuji, but one passenger spotted something much more startling. (soranews24.com)
Many train services in western Japan will be cancelled on Tuesday due to Typhoon Jebi. (NHK)
Japan Railway companies plan to begin offering free Wi-Fi on all Shinkansen lines during the current fiscal year that ends in March. (NHK)
A railway company in western Japan has partially suspended operations on a Shinkansen bullet train line, after finding evidence that one of its trains hit a person. (NHK)
It was a sad day when the Evangelion Shinkansen made its last journey on the rails on 13 May. But where one door closes, another one opens, and that’s exactly what happened this week, as West Japan Railway finally let us all peek inside their new Hello Kitty Shinkansen, which is set to make its debut next month. (soranews24.com)
Up to now, it has been a real hassle making advance reservations for Japan's bullet trains from overseas. JR East finally set up an online reservation system a while back, but that was only for trains heading north from Tokyo. (rocketnews24.com)