Nov 18 (NHK) - An apology by a Japanese railroad operator for a train's early departure has attracted the attention of foreign media.
Earlier this week, a train on the Tsukuba Express line pulled out of a station near Tokyo 20 seconds ahead of schedule.
Although there were no complaints by passengers, the company posted an apology on its website. It said the conductor had failed to double-check the clock.
The mishap has been reported by US and British media.
A comment carried on the BBC website said the same would never happen in the UK, and praised the Japanese railroad system as the most reliable in the world.
The New York Times also commended the railroad operator for living up to passengers' expectations.
But it added that apologies are commonplace in Japanese culture.
Source: ANNnewsCH
