西日本旅客鉄道株式会社

The incident occurred on November 16, 2025, involving JR West's Sanyo Shinkansen, where a train driver left the driver's seat during operation. This behavior, in a high-speed, mass-transportation system, undermines safety and erodes public trust in rail services. The Kinki Transport Bureau issued administrative guidance, urging the company to recognize the severity of the incident, investigate underlying causes, implement preventive measures, and report actions promptly in writing.

The incident occurred on November 16, 2025, on the Sanyo Shinkansen operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). A driver left the driver's seat during operation, which is a serious safety concern for high-speed, mass transportation. The Kinki Transport Bureau issued an administrative guidance, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the incident's severity, investigating underlying causes, and implementing measures to prevent recurrence. JR West is instructed to promptly report the measures taken in writing.

On December 5, 2023, a railway worker was struck by a train during track maintenance between Satoshō Station and Kasao Station on the Sanyo Line, resulting in death. West Japan Railway Company had previously experienced a similar fatal incident on February 11, 2017, within the Inokuchi Station area on the same line. The cause of the current accident is under investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board. The agency issued a strict warning for the company to promptly investigate the cause, take measures to prevent similar accidents, and report the measures in writing. This guidance was issued by the Chugoku Transport Bureau.

On December 20, 2022, JR West reported that within the Kyoto Branch Office of the Kinki General Vehicle Depot, a contracted company's train drivers had operated trains under the influence of alcohol a total of eight times over the past year. Additionally, alcohol breath tests using alcohol detectors were not properly conducted. An audit on December 21-23, 2022, found issues requiring improvement. The authorities have ordered JR West to take necessary measures, including re-educating drivers on alcohol safety, reviewing and ensuring proper alcohol testing procedures (face-to-face checks and use of alcohol detectors), and restructuring safety management systems to prevent recurrence. The measures must be reported by April 24, 2023. The audit findings also include that the contracted company's drivers falsely reported zero blood alcohol content during inspections, and alcohol tests were not conducted during certain shifts due to misperceptions. The safety management system was deemed ineffective in preventing serious violations affecting railway safety.

The incident involved JR West (West Japan Railway Company), operating the Tokaido Line in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture. During January 24-25, 2018, heavy snowfall led to many trains stopping for extended periods between stations, resulting in passenger discomfort and health issues. Despite prior advisories on ensuring transportation safety and passenger rescue during snowfall, the company’s response was deemed insufficient. The Kinki Transport Bureau issued an administrative guidance on January 25, 2018, under the Railway Business Act, requesting the company to review the incident, identify causes, implement measures to prevent recurrence, and verify the reporting system for railway accidents. The company was also instructed to promptly report the measures taken in writing.

On December 28, 2021, a freight train operated by Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) derailed between Seno Station and Hachihonmatsu Station on the Sanyo Line. An audit on January 25, 2022, revealed the need for improvements in emergency handling by train drivers and dispatchers. The company was instructed to take necessary measures, including verifying the appropriateness of operational methods, management, and underlying causes, and to report by May 31, 2022. Specific issues included: 1) Insufficient sharing of JR Freight's internal operational regulations within the company, which could have led to missed opportunities for train protection measures; 2) Non-compliance with procedures for using wireless train protection devices, specifically the failure to demonstrate stop signals with portable signal flares; 3) Lack of awareness of radio communication blind spots, hindering prompt response. The company was advised to coordinate with JR Freight to ensure proper train operation management and to investigate and address communication issues to maintain safety.