Photo/Illutration The N700A series Shinkansen operated by Central Japan Railway Co. (Provided by JR Tokai)

Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) will cancel 192 Nozomi Shinkansens running between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations during the spring vacation period between March 19 and 31 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

JR Tokai made the announcement on March 13. The company said this was the first time an infectious disease has forced cancellation of such a large number of bullet train runs.

The number of canceled runs represents about 3 percent of the total number of Tokaido Shinkansen runs in both directions operated by JR Tokai. Except for March 21, that will mean between six and 27 Nozomi runs a day will be canceled.

JR Tokai will continue operating the Hikari and Kodama Shinkansen service between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations.

Customers who made reservations on the canceled Nozomi runs will receive refunds.

JR Tokai officials added that cancellations of some services could continue into April.

The company had earlier announced that between March 1 and 9 Shinkansen use had fallen by 56 percent over the same period last year. The decline in business travel and tourists was cited as the major reason for the sharp drop.

The company had already announced a new bullet train schedule from March 14 that would increase the number of Nozomi runs from 10 per hour to as many as 12.

While March 19 would have been the first day for the increase to 12 Nozomi runs an hour, that plan will be postponed until the end of the service cancellations.

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