Overview

• Investigations found that certain semiconductor parts paired with control boards can misoperate in high temperatures, leading to auxiliary power supply failures on E8 series trainsets.
• A fifth E8 series trainset failed on June 30 while parked in Tokyo, extending the suspension of through service between the Yamagata and Tohoku Shinkansen beyond one month.
• JR East President Yoichi Kise apologized for the disruption on July 15 and pledged a comprehensive probe but did not give a timeline for restoring the normal timetable.
• The summer timetable remains reduced, with over 900 services cancelled and more than 25,000 passenger trips affected since mid-June.
• Yamagata tourism officials report up to a 20% drop in accommodation bookings as uncertainty over Shinkansen schedules hinders planning for key summer festivals.