Overview
- The transport minister on Feb. 3 urged JR East to ensure stable service as the ministry directed a full investigation and measures to prevent recurrences.
- JR East vice president Chiharu Watarai apologized at the ministry and said the company is reviewing steps such as quicker evacuation of passengers from trains stopped between stations.
- On Feb. 2, an escalator on the Keiyō Line’s Hacchōbori Station B2 level burned and produced smoke, prompting a temporary suspension between Tokyo and Shin-Kiba.
- No injuries were reported in the Hacchōbori incident, and authorities say the exact cause remains under investigation.
- The latest directive follows January disruptions that halted major Tokyo-area lines, including an over eight-hour Yamanote and Keihin–Tōhoku outage affecting about 673,000 people and a roughly seven-hour Jōban Line stoppage affecting about 230,000.