JR East: Newsletter contained inappropriate comments on train accident

The East Japan Railway Company says an internal newsletter used language that trivialized an accident involving injuries or deaths. The company says the letter was later retracted and the language was inappropriate.

JR East’s Mito branch, north of Tokyo, says the newsletter was written at an office in Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The letter includes an interview with a train driver who was involved in such an accident. The branch says the letter was distributed in the office on May 20 and sent to employees through an internal communications system.

The interview states that the train driver “set the record as the youngest train driver to be involved in an accident resulting in injury or death.” The train driver is asked to give an honest answer, to which he replies, “I messed up.” The train driver is also asked, “What do you think of the youngest record?” The train driver replies, “I set a record that will go down in history.”

The newsletter also includes an expression that means “laugh” and an emoji that looks like a knife.

The Mito branch said the newsletter was intended as a way for employees to share information about incidents they were involved in and that this was the first issue.

The branch said the letter was withdrawn three days later after some employees declared it inappropriate, but its contents were shared on social media and other channels.

Many people have left critical comments on social media. One said: “I am afraid that those involved in the letter have people’s lives in their hands.”

The JR East Mito office said it was taking the incident seriously and would provide additional training and instructions to employees on how to comply with laws and information security rules.