Railway Signaling System Setting Errors Found at 36 Stations Across 12 Operators Nationwide
Last year, a collision between trains occurred at a station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line. An investigation into the cause of this accident revealed an error in the settings of the "signaling system" designed to stop trains safely. In response, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) requested that railway companies across the country conduct simultaneous inspections to check for similar errors.
According to the announcement by the MLIT, the inspections confirmed setting errors in signaling systems at a total of 36 stations across 12 operators nationwide, including JR and private railways. Signaling systems are a crucial mechanism for controlling trains to prevent multiple trains from entering the same track and colliding, but if the settings are incorrect, there is a risk that safety devices may not function as intended.
In the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line accident that triggered this investigation, another train entered a section where a preceding train was present because the signal settings were inappropriate. To prevent such serious accidents from recurring, the MLIT required a detailed review of the programs and setting contents of equipment at stations nationwide.
Regarding the 36 stations where errors were found, all correction work has already been completed, and it is reported that there are currently no safety issues. Various railway companies have decided to strengthen their check systems when installing new equipment or changing settings.
The MLIT is instructing each operator to continue appropriate management to ensure railway safety. Since digital setting errors can lead to major accidents in railways used by many people, more careful verification is being demanded.