On September 11, JR Freight announced that it had halted all freight train operations after discovering improper practices, including falsifying data and applying pressures exceeding the standards set by Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) during the axle insertion process. The company is working swiftly to ensure safety and aims to resume operations within the day. To minimize the impact on logistics, measures such as increasing the cargo load per freight car are being implemented.
On the same day, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism conducted an inspection of JR Freight under the Railway Business Act. Inspectors visited JR Freight’s depots in Wanishi (Muroran City, Hokkaido), Kawasaki (Kawasaki City), and Hiroshima (Hiroshima City) to investigate the company’s safety management systems and consider possible administrative penalties or guidance.
In addition to the four locomotives and 560 freight cars with identified improper practices, JR Freight revealed that there might be similar issues with an additional 300 freight cars. The company plans to gradually resume freight train operations as safety is confirmed.
JR Freight’s new president, Shinsuke Inukai, held a press conference in Tokyo, offering an apology. “The workers' lack of awareness led to these improper acts. I feel a great sense of responsibility. We will focus on identifying the causes and implementing countermeasures,” he said.
