To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.
This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.
Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
The Yomiuri Shimbun Freight trains are seen at the Sendai Freight Terminal in Sendai on Wednesday.
Jiji Press
11:03 JST, September 13, 2024
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Japan’s transport ministry on Wednesday conducted on-site inspections of three Japan Freight Railway Co. rail yards, after the company, also known as JR Freight, revealed a data fraud scandal the previous day.
Launching a special safety investigation, the ministry conducted the on-site probes of the Wanishi yard in Muroran, Hokkaido, the Kawasaki yard in Kawasaki and the Hiroshima yard in Hiroshima under the railway business law.
JR Freight was ordered to carry out emergency inspections of all of its freight train cars and engines.
The ministry will consider whether to impose administrative penalties on the company based on the results of the investigations.
JR Freight said Tuesday that pressure exceeding a set limit by up to about 10% was applied in the process of fitting wheels on car axles. While there was a possibility of the action weakening the axles, data were replaced and inspection records including the falsified data were compiled in some cases. The malpractice started about 10 years ago.
Data irregularities were found for 564 out of a total of roughly 8,500 engines and freight cars owned by JR Freight, and the company has decided to suspend them from services.
At a regular press conference Wednesday, JR Freight President Shin Inukai said that falsified data may be found for more engines and freight cars and that operations have therefore been canceled temporarily for all of the JR Freight vehicles. Later in the day, the company put engines and freight cars back into service after their safety was confirmed.
“Awareness about compliance and employee education were insufficient, Inukai said. “I take the data fraud very seriously,” he said, stressing his intention to put efforts into identifying the cause of the misconduct and drawing up measures to prevent a recurrence.
The president did not comment on whether he would step down over the data fraud scandal.
The data fraud came to light through an in-house probe conducted in the wake of a freight train derailment accident that occurred at Shin-Yamaguchi Station in July. Data falsification was found for the derailed front-most car of the train.
The Japan Transport Safety Board, affiliated with the ministry, said that an axle on the front car was broken. The board is investigating the details of the incident.
