Service Suspension for Coupled Shinkansen Trains Extended Through Friday; Cause of Decupling Still Unidentified

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:34 JST, March 9, 2025

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) has said that its suspension of coupled Shinkansen train services will be extended to Friday.

The suspension follows a serious incident in which the Hayabusa-Komachi No. 21 combined train on the Tohoku Shinkansen line decoupled while running.

JR East said its plans for the services after Saturday will be announced as soon as they are decided.

Due to the suspension, Tsubasa trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen line are shuttling back and forth between Fukushima and Shinjo stations. Only the last train bound for Tokyo and the first train from Tokyo are in service each day. All other services to and from Tokyo on the line have been suspended. Komachi trains on the Akita Shinkansen line are in service between Morioka and Akita stations. Direct services to and from Tokyo are also unavailable on the Akita Shinkansen line.

Initially, JR East had said that the services of coupled Shinkansen trains would be suspended until Sunday. However, the company has decided to extend the suspension because the cause of the decoupling has yet to be identified.

The company said additional trains would run temporarily on the Tohoku Shinkansen line on Sunday, as the line is expected to be crowded.

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