Society | Nov 11

JR East to test driverless shinkansen bullet trains in 2021

Nov 11 (Kyodo) - East Japan Railway Co. said Tuesday it will conduct autonomous test runs of its E7-series shinkansen bullet trains next fall, with the aim of operating such automated trains in the future amid a labor shortage.

Yuji Fukasawa, president of the major railway operator, said at a press conference in Tokyo that its 12-car train will carry out multiple, 5-kilometer test runs in Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, between October and November for technical checks.


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Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

Actress Akane Hotta announced on the 26th that she has married a non-celebrity man she had been dating, sharing her joy on Instagram.

Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, made her first solo visit to the tombs of the Showa Emperor and Empress Kojun on Thursday, to report her graduation from Gakushuin University and her new employment at the Japanese Red Cross.

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Japan's Cabinet Office's Government Public Relations Office recently stirred controversy with a social media post showcasing an overly lavish depiction of school lunches, leading to a public outcry over the authenticity of the meals presented.

Tokyo's Shinagawa district welcomes a new landmark with the grand opening of the Gotanda JP Building on Friday, April 26, featuring a dog-friendly hotel by Hoshino Resort, co-working spaces, and a vibrant culinary scene.

Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

A private organization has revealed that approximately 40% of the national municipalities, totaling 744, could potentially disappear by 2050 due to declining populations.

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