19th Anniversary of JR Fukuchiyama Line Derailment
107 Dead, 562 Injured
"19 Years Passed but Must Not Forget"
"Memories Fading... Accident Must Not Repeat"
On the 25th, a memorial ceremony was held in Japan for the victims of the JR Fukuchiyama Line derailment, known as one of the "three major railway disasters." Although 19 years have passed since the accident in 2005, Japanese media emphasized the importance of not forgetting and remembering the tragedy, stating that "the memory of the disaster is gradually fading."
NHK reported, "It has been 19 years since the JR Fukuchiyama derailment occurred on this day," adding, "Employees who joined after the accident now make up 70% of the entire workforce, making it a challenge to pass on the pain and lessons of the accident."
The JR Fukuchiyama Line derailment occurred on April 25, 2005, at 9:18 a.m., when a high-speed train failed to navigate a curve and derailed. The train collided with a nearby apartment building, resulting in 107 deaths and 562 injuries, making it one of the worst train accidents.
The primary cause of the accident was the train driver speeding to meet the scheduled arrival time. It was revealed that the speed when entering the curve was 116 km/h. However, a joint investigation committee that later conducted a detailed investigation pointed out that JR West (West Japan Railway Company) had excessively strict management of drivers, including punitive retraining for crew members who failed to keep time, which ultimately led to the accident.
In response, Japan is working hard to preserve the memory of the accident to prevent its recurrence. First, the apartment building that the train collided with was not completely demolished; some parts were left to create a memorial space. Every year, at the time of the accident, JR West holds a memorial service here to honor the victims, and the company president delivers an apology. This year, attendees of the memorial service created the phrase "We will not forget" along with the accident date using 750 candles on the day before the accident to console the souls of the victims.
Additionally, JR West is currently promoting the construction of a facility to store the accident train in front of the new employee training center. Scheduled for completion in December next year, the facility aims to preserve the accident train as it is to teach employees about the severity of the accident and the importance of safety.
Despite these efforts, the media pointed out that memories of the disaster are gradually fading. The Mainichi Shimbun interviewed bereaved family members who lost their mothers in the accident, emphasizing the need to remember the tragedy once again. Rei Ogata, who was a middle school student at the time, established a cosmetics company in Osaka City, hoping her mother would have liked it.
Ogata said, "I have attended the memorial ceremony every year without fail, but recently the number of attendees and reporters has been decreasing. As it approaches 20 years since the accident, I strongly feel that the memory is fading," adding, "I agreed to the media interview for this reason. The idea that we must not neglect safety will help create a society without accidents."
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