Photo/Illutration A team of train drivers based at this JR East facility in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward has been experiencing unexplained health issues that have disrupted train operations. (Ayateru Hosozawa)

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) admitted it feared evil spirits could be behind a series of unexplained health issues among train drivers in Tokyo that resulted in repeated overruns and other operational disruptions.

The company even asked a Shinto priest to conduct a purification ritual and offer prayers for operational safety as it continues to try to resolve the problem.

The phenomenon surfaced around late 2021 and involves drivers who belong to the same team that operates trains between Mitaka in western Tokyo and Chiba.

During the course of investigations, JR officials have attempted everything from analyzing drinking water and air quality in an office that drivers use.

The team is in charge of the Chuo and Sobu Lines, two of the busiest commuter lines in the capital. Around 220 drivers belong to the team, which is based near Nakano Station.

JR East said that in the three years leading up to November 2024, there were 43 reported cases of train drivers experiencing sudden drowsiness and other health issues in the cabin. Nineteen of the cases occurred during this fiscal year.

In contrast, a separate team of drivers based in Chiba Prefecture, working on the same lines, has reported only two similar incidents this fiscal year.

The Chiba team has half the number of drivers as the Nakano team, highlighting the unreasonably high rate of incidents among the latter.

JR officials remain puzzled, as there appears to be no obvious factor in the working conditions affecting drivers in that particular team.

A baffled retired train driver noted that the routes and train models don’t require special attention compared to others, and that the drivers’ shifts are no harder than those of others.

PRIEST ENLISTED

Some drivers suspected that a sleep-inducing substance had been mixed into the drinking water in their office, prompting a thorough investigation of their working environment last summer. But nothing untoward was found.

In August, JR East even asked a Shinto priest to conduct a purification ritual and offer prayers for operational safety. However, another five incidents occurred afterward.

Desperate to find a solution, the company has been improving the working environment, replacing beds and renovating the locker room for night shift drivers.

Efforts to identify the cause of the problem are continuing, led by the company’s task force, which includes an industrial doctor.

“No common cause has been found among those experiencing health issues although there have been cases of sleep deprivation or heat exhaustion,” said a company spokesperson. 

JR East pledged to spare no effort in ensuring that passengers using the trains remain safe.

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