Tohoku Shinkansen Bullet Train Cars Decouple, Halting Services on 3 Lines; Similar Incident Occurred in September Last Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:53 JST, March 6, 2025

Some bullet train services were temporarily suspended Thursday after cars on a Tohoku Shinkansen train become disconnected. East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) is investigating the details.

According to JR East, the northbound Hayabusa-Komachi No. 21 train out of Tokyo Station came to an emergency stop when the 10-car Hayabusa and seven-car Komachi separated while the trains were in motion between Ueno and Omiya stations at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Services on the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines were stopped as a result.

There were approximately 450 passengers on the Hayabusa and 200 passengers on the Komachi, but no injuries have been confirmed. The heating on the trains was said to have worked normally.

On Sept. 19 last year, a 10-car Hayabusa and a seven-car Komachi on the Tohoku Shinkansen line became disconnected and came to an emergency stop. That incident occurred when the Hayabusa-Komachi No. 6 train bound for Tokyo was traveling at 315 kph between Furukawa and Sendai stations in Miyagi Prefecture.

Tohoku, Joetsu, Hokuriku Shinkansen Lines Suspended After Shinkansen Train Cars Decouple Between Ueno, Omiya Stations