Kanto Transport Bureau Issues Warning Letter to JR East Japan|Requests Response to Railway Personal Injury Accident at Ofuna Station and Ensuring Safety

On Monday, August 7, 2023, the Railway Department of the Kanto Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism issued a warning letter to JR Japan East regarding the personal injury accident and its consequences at Ofuna Station on the Tokaido Line in Yokohama City on the night of August 5, 2023. (Photo: Kanto Transport Bureau / Naka-ku, Yokohama City)

The Kanto Transport Bureau emphasized the importance of ensuring safe and stable railway transportation and requested the JR East Japan to investigate the cause of the accident and thoroughly implement measures to prevent recurrence. It also examines the response to passengers in the event of an accident and asks them to take the necessary measures and to report in writing. The warning letter was sent by Koichi Motoe, Director of the Railway Department of the Kanto Transport Bureau, to Chiharu Watari, Representative Director and Vice President of JR East's Safety Supervisory Japan.

At around 21:24 on the 5th, three passengers were injured in a railway injury accident caused by a collision between a train and a telephone pole at Ofuna Station on the Tokaido Line, and about 150,000 passengers were greatly affected by the suspension of operation and the guidance of passengers to get off the train on the Tokaido Line, Yokosuka Line, Negishi Line, etc. In addition to those who were injured, nine people became ill due to heat stroke.

JR East Japan announced on the 6th that it is investigating the cause of the accident, apologizing to the injured passengers and apology to the users. In addition, for five years from 2018 to 2022, railway accidents ( National Transportation Safety Board investigation There were 66 cases nationwide, with the largest number of cases occurring at 11 in JR East Japan, followed by 7 cases in JR West Japan, and 3 cases in JR Shikoku.