Quake-Hit Tohoku Shinkansen Line Fully Reopens

Sendai, Miyagi Pref., April 14 (Jiji Press)--The Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train line of East Japan Railway Co. <9020> fully reopened on Thursday, ending its partial closure caused by a strong earthquake off northeastern Japan on March 16.

The company known as JR East resumed services between Fukushima Station in Fukushima Prefecture and Sendai Station in neighboring Miyagi Prefecture, marking the full reopening of the train line connecting Tokyo and Aomori Prefecture in the northernmost part of the Tohoku northeastern Japan region.

The Fukushima-Sendai section was closed due to damage from the temblor, which occurred off the coast of Fukushima.

According to JR East, Tohoku Shinkansen trains will run at reduced speeds of 110-160 kilometers per hour between Koriyama Station in Fukushima and Ichinoseki Station in Iwate Prefecture, north of Miyagi, for the time being in order to ensure safety.

Train services are being provided at 80 to 90 pct of full capacity. According to the current timetables, it takes passengers an extra 30 minutes to travel from Tokyo to Sendai and an extra hour from Tokyo to Morioka Station in Iwate.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]