News On Japan

Driver In Training Behind Tokyu Line Collision That Caused Train Derailment

TOKYO, Oct 06 (News On Japan) - A collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line on the night of October 5th when a local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station in Kawasaki City struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

According to Tokyu Corporation, the out-of-service train was being operated by a trainee driver. The train received a warning signal indicating that it was exceeding the regulated speed and might overshoot the designated stopping point. In response, the driver stopped the train earlier than scheduled, leaving part of the train extending onto the track used by regular passenger services. When the inbound local train approached the station, it collided with the overlapping section of the stationary out-of-service train.

None of the 149 passengers aboard the local train, nor the driver, were injured. However, as of 11:50 a.m. on October 6th, operations on the Den-en-toshi Line remained suspended between Shibuya and Saginuma stations, and service on the Oimachi Line was also halted between Futako-Tamagawa and Mizonokuchi stations.

One passenger affected by the suspension said, “It’s my daughter’s birthday, and we were planning to go to Sanrio Puroland. Since trains are stopped up to Shibuya, we’ll take a taxi to the nearest operating station.” The Transport Safety Board continues to investigate the cause of the collision and whether proper safety procedures were followed during the trainee’s operation.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A large-scale fire that broke out in the Saganoseki district of Oita City has burned through more than 170 structures and continues to emit thick white smoke on the morning of November — nearly 17 hours after the first emergency call was made — prompting the prefectural government to request disaster relief deployment from the Self-Defense Forces.

China’s Communist Party–affiliated Global Times reported on its front page this morning that it had “demanded a clear explanation from the Japanese side” regarding the discussions held on the previous day, underscoring Beijing’s position that Tokyo must address the issue directly.

Although the winter weather pattern is easing today on November 19th, bringing clear skies to some regions, forecasters warn that coastal areas may still face sudden bursts of rain, snow, and severe convection driven by rapidly developing thunderclouds.

A reporting team found itself face to face with a bear while investigating the sharp rise in bear-related incidents that has left 13 people dead this year.

Sakurajima erupted in the early hours on October (date not provided in source), sending a plume of ash soaring to 4,400 meters above the crater, the first time it has exceeded 4,000 meters since October last year, with volcanic rocks reaching as far as the sixth station on the mountainside as the volcano continued erupting intermittently throughout the morning and caused ash to fall over Kagoshima Airport, where a thin layer accumulated on aircraft.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

Workers began cutting bamboo along the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto on November 19th as the city moved to halt a surge in graffiti damage that has spread across the popular tourist path, where at least 350 stalks have already been defaced.

Okinawa Hotel in Naha received a commemorative bronze plaque from the Agency for Cultural Affairs after being designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property by the national government.

Osaka City’s proposal to halt new applications for so-called special-zone minpaku at the end of May next year has been approved by the government as noise, waste management issues, and other disturbances continue to draw complaints from local communities.

A strong winter-pattern pressure system drove the season’s coldest air across the country on November 18th, making snow and rain more likely along the Japan Sea coast while bringing heavy snow and blizzard conditions to parts of northern Japan, with temperatures falling sharply nationwide and even areas that see sunshine experiencing a biting northerly wind.

Aomori Prefecture was hit by intensifying snowfall on November 18th as the country’s first heavy snow warning of the season was issued, with the hot spring district of Sukayu reporting more than one meter of snow amid rapidly worsening conditions.

Foreign luxury hotels are increasingly incorporating kumiko, a traditional Japanese woodworking technique, into their interiors, with the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka drawing particular attention from overseas visitors for its striking geometric patterns crafted without the use of nails.

Autumn seems to be passing quickly this year, with peak foliage arriving almost before many have had time to notice. To help readers avoid missing the season’s highlights, reporters visited some of the best spots now at their most vibrant.

JTB’s domestic travel and inbound tourism demand have rebounded sharply as the company’s annual revenue has surpassed 1 trillion yen, and it is now taking on a major transformation of Japan’s travel industry through a series of unconventional strategies.