Sleeper Express Stops in Shiga Pref. for 3 Hours after Smoke Seen Rising from Car; No Injuries Reported but 3 Other Trains Canceled

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:49 JST, July 1, 2025

Smoke was seen rising from inside a car of Japan Rail’s Sunrise Seto/Izumo sleeper express train as it traveled through Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, at around 1:50 a.m. Tuesday.

After stopping on the tracks for about three hours to ensure safe conditions, the train went on to Omi-Nagaoka Station and let its about 300 passengers get off. No one was injured or complained of illness.

The fire department and others are investigating the cause of the smoke, which is believed to have resulted from some wiring catching fire in an aisle of the train.

According to Central Japan Railways Co., two trains departed from Izumo City in Shimane Prefecture and Takamatsu City and were linked together at Okayama Station. The combined train was on its way to Tokyo when the smoke was detected.

A total of three trains on the company’s JR Tokaido Line were canceled due to this trouble.