Train services in greater Tokyo are scheduled to end earlier at night starting from Wednesday, due to a state of emergency declared in the region over the spread of the coronavirus.

Twenty-five railway operators in and around Tokyo are moving up the departure times of their last trains by up to half an hour.

At East Japan Railway's Shinjuku Station, workers held up placards on Tuesday morning to remind commuters about the schedule change.

Revised timetables for nighttime trains are now posted at platforms, along with posters bearing the times of the last trains.

JR East says its final trains will leave about 10 to 30 minutes earlier on 11 lines, including the Yamanote loop line in Tokyo. Shinkansen bullet trains will not be affected.

Shinjuku stationmaster Moriyama Hidehiko said some people may not be able to transit to other railway lines because of the schedule changes. He said he wants people to check the timetables on websites and other means.

Shorter train operations are likely to continue while the state of