Tohoku Shinkansen Collides with Bear; Services Suspended

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:24 JST, June 28, 2025

The Tohoku Shinkansen line was suspended after a bullet train collided with a bear while traveling in Miyagi Prefecture on Saturday afternoon.

According to East Japan Railway Co., the train that collided with the bear was Hayabusa No. 25, which was bound for Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto from Tokyo. It was coupled with Komachi No. 25, which was bound for Akita.

The train was traveling between Sendai and Furukawa stations when it detected an abnormal noise at 4:02 p.m., and an inspection of the cars was conducted. As a result, Tohoku Shinkansen services were suspended for 37 minutes between Sendai and Morioka.

The company said it was a very unusual accident and that it is unclear how the bear got onto the tracks.

A train crew member spotted the bear in the direction of travel before the collision and found the carcass near the tracks after the train stopped.