Victims Mourned 35 Years after Shiga Train Collision

Koka, Shiga Pref., May 14 (Jiji Press)--A memorial ceremony was held on Thursday for the 42 people who died in a train collision in Shigaraki, currently part of Koka, in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, 35 years ago.

The ceremony took place in front of a cenotaph near the site of the accident in which a Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Co. train and a West Japan Railway Co. train collided head-on on May 14, 1991.

Participants of the ceremony, including bereaved families, SKR President Senjiro Masaki and JR West President Shoji Kurasaka, observed a moment of silence and laid flowers.

"We will train our employees so that they can give top priority to the safety of passengers in any situation," Masaki said in a speech.

Kurasaka said: "Once an accident happens, it can completely change people's lives. We are keenly aware of the importance of not letting the accident fade away from memory."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]