Tokyo's main railway lines have resumed normal service after experiencing an electrical system failure that caused an approximately 8-hour disruption, impacting over 670,000 passengers.
On 16 January 2026 GMT+7, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) announced that train services in central Tokyo returned to normal around 13:00 on Friday, 16 January 2026 GMT+7, following an electrical system failure that had halted operations for about eight hours.
The failure forced suspension of services on key lines including the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines from the first trains that morning, and also affected the Yokosuka and Utsunomiya lines. At least 230 train trips were cancelled, and another 354 were delayed, with some delays lasting up to eight hours.
JR East explained the blackout was caused by a malfunction of electrical protection equipment during power restoration after maintenance work at Tamachi Station in Minato Ward. This triggered the substation's automatic power cutoff system. As a result, at least 15 passengers reported illness, 5 were hospitalized, and approximately 673,000 passengers were affected.
JR East issued an apology to passengers, confirming it will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause and implement measures to prevent recurrence. The company also announced cancellation of maintenance work at Tamachi Station over the weekend, coinciding with nationwide university entrance examinations.
Source: NHK