A Japanese rail operator says catastrophe was avoided on a high-speed shinkansen bullet train derailed by a recent powerful earthquake off northeastern Japan with no injuries reported, proving its safety once again thanks to measures put in place after major quakes in the past.
When a shinkansen derailed late Wednesday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, none of the 75 passengers or three crew members were injured thanks to high-tech safety measures.
At least 20,000 homes in Miyagi Prefecture were still without running water on Friday, while homes in parts of five Fukushima municipalities were experiencing the same problem.
The first-generation Nozomi trains ran at a maximum speed of 270 kph. That speed allowed the travel time between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka to be shortened by 19 minutes.
The firm says the new car will provide "a more comfortable ride with the improved interior and seats," but added the line will likely not begin running in 2027 as planned.