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Boy walks on shinkansen track for 4 km, disrupting service

17 Comments

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Wonder if this kid saw the movie "Stand By Me"?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The situation presented at hand is quite incomprehensible and thus conceived as insane, does my understanding find fault with thou??

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Glad nobody was hurt. I can’t quite understand though if the boy was noticed gaining entry to the tracks at the station but was only pickup 4km from the station that’s a fair amount of time? I am also wondering how they do that. I am imagining two JR West guys in full kit with hard hats pumping one of those old hand cars down the track! They also probably have access points from the road below the track to access the track at various points and used track cameras to pinpoint where he was and pick up at the closest access point. If anyone has any info as to how they got to him I would really like to know. These days it seems journalism 101 does not require you to ask any questions anymore.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

They could of just looked the other way.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Fine for the parents? Should be.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I can’t quite understand though if the boy was noticed gaining entry to the tracks at the station but was only pickup 4km from the station

If memory serves me well the tracks to the west of the station are elevated for a a long distance, perhaps even the whole 4 km or more.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@simon g

I just looked on the J.R. website after thinking about your question with my Japanese boss.

The fine according to the data on the web site would will break down like this.

A one minute delay is ¥500.000 a minute for an individual who is disrupting the service by being on the tracks.

So, 90 x 500.000 = 45,000.000¥. However. That seems really excessive for a kid who is just probably nuts about Shinkansen's. Most likely he just got curious and wanted to see them up close. Not knowing the consequences. Who knows how J.R. is going to handle this one. But it is common knowledge when a jumper decides to go head on with one of these trains and end it all. The family is left with the bill. From my understanding in that situation. It is an astronautical amount. We will really never know. I think the final outcome of this will be resolved fairly for the family. I do not think the negotiation of the fine will be publicized since there is a minor involved.

Glad that little boy got off those tracks safe. At least he will have some serious bragging rights now with his pals.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Good that he's safe, but concerning that someone can be seen getting onto the tracks but not be caught for 70 minutes. Shinkansen tracks are generally elevated or in tunnels, so there are no level crossings etc. where you can get onto them.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I would suggest that the authorities and child welfare investigate the child's situation, including what is going on at school. With what we have seen in recent years, one cannot discount the possibility that the child is confronting issues that he feels like he cannot handle anymore.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The kid took “play day” to a whole new level. Why isn’t access childproof? Why 4 kms after he was seen?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If he has trouble at home, it just got worse. His family will be charged for the delay, I think. Probably he won’t be bragging about his adventure.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

At least he will have some serious bragging rights now with his pals.

Really? About what, exactly?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The boy's family, school, classmate will be interviewed. He may not have any friend in school. Bragging? To whom?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@zone2:

You wrote very well.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Some very good and researched comments above got me thinking: should JR be fined for lack of adequate barriers/procedures that caused a grave hazard (potentially fatal) to this elementary school kid’s life?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

If memory serves me well the tracks to the west of the station are elevated for a a long distance, perhaps even the whole 4 km or more.

DockSee - If so, there would be regular emergency staircases from the ground up to the tracks. Dukeleto's point about how could the boy have managed to walk 4km before he was stopped still stands.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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