Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen to Close Smoking Areas Next Spring, Use Space to Store Emergency Drinking Water

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:36 JST, October 17, 2023

No smoking will be allowed in Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen bullet trains from next spring, Central Japan Railway Co., West Japan Railway Co. and Kyushu Railway Co. said Tuesday, citing growing health consciousness among the public and fewer smokers.

The three JR companies will close the trains’ smoking areas and use them to store drinking water for emergencies. They aim to boost preparedness for disasters where trains have to stop for a long time far from a station.