A window crack on a Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka forced a temporary slowdown, the operator said late Saturday.
A steel plate from communication devices inside a tunnel in central Japan reportedly came loose and struck the window of the No. 16 car on the Nozomi 317 train on Saturday morning, according to the railway company. Operations for the Tokaido Shinkansen line continued without disruption on Sunday.
Shinkansen services in Japan, known for their punctuality and reliability, have recently been delayed or halted due to accidents, including an incident earlier this month when train cars separated while in motion.
As stated by JR Central, the separated metal plate, measuring 30 centimeters in length and 60 centimeters wide at its broadest part, with a weight of 4 kilograms, was discovered within the tunnel.
The bullet train decelerated until passengers in the last of its 16 coaches were transferred to other cars.
