Railway accidents to be investigated
◎Article 2, paragraph (3), of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board (Definition of railway accident)
The term "Railway Accident" as used in this Act shall mean a serious accident prescribed by the Ordinance of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism among those of the following kinds of accidents? an accident that occurs during the operation of trains or vehicles as provided in Article 19 of the Railway Business Act, collision or fire involving trains or any other accidents that occur during the operation of trains or vehicles on a dedicated railway, collision or fire involving vehicles or any other accidents that occur during the operation of vehicles on a tramway.
◎Article 2 of Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board(Serious accidents prescribed by the Ordinance of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, stipulated in Article 2, paragraph (3) of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board)
1 The accidents specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), items (i) through (iii) of the Ordinance on Report on Railway Accidents, etc. (the Ordinance) (except for accidents that involve working snowplows that specified in item 2 of the above paragraph)?
2 From among the accidents specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), items (iv) through (vi) of the Ordinance, that which falls under any of the following sub-items:
(a) an accident involving any passenger, crew, etc. killed?
(b) an accident involving five or more persons killed or injured?
(c) a fatal accident that occurred at a level crossing with no automatic barrier machine?
(d) an accident found to be likely to have been caused owing to a railway officer's error in handling or owing to malfunction, damage, destruction, etc. of the vehicles or railway facilities, which resulted in the death of any person?
3 The accidents specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), items (iv) through (vii) of the Ordinance
which are found to be particularly rare and exceptional?
4 The accidents equivalent to those specified in Article 3, paragraph (1), items (i) through (vii)
of the Ordinance which have occurred relevant to dedicated railways and which are found to be particularly rare and exceptional? and
5 The accidents equivalent to those specified in items (i) through (iii) which have occurred relevant to a tramway, as specified by a public notice issued by the Japan Transport Safety Board.
Reference The accidents listed in Article 3, paragraph (1), each items of the Ordinance on Report on Railway Accidents, etc.
item (i): Train collision
item (ii): Train derailment
item (ii): Train derailment
item (iii): Train fire
item (iv): Level crossing accident
item (v): Accident against road traffic
item (vi): Other accidents with casualties
item (vii): Heavy property loss without casualties
○Article 1 of the Public Notice of the Japan Transport Safety Board
(Accidents specified by the public notice stipulated in Article 2, item (v) of the Ordinance for
Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board)
1 From among the accidents specified in Article 1, paragraph (1), items (i) through (vi) of the Ordinance on Reporting on Tramway Accidents, etc. (the Ordinance), that which falls under any of the following sub-items:
(a) an accident that causes the death of a passenger, crewmember, etc.?
(b) an accident involving five or more casualties (with at least one of the casualties dead)?
(c) a fatal accident that occurs at a level crossing with no automatic barrier machine?
2 The accidents specified in Article 1, paragraph (1), items (i) through (vii) of the Ordinance which are found to be particularly rare and exceptional? and
3 From among the accidents occurring on a tramway operated under the application of the Ministerial Ordinances to provide Technical Regulatory Standards on Railways mutatis mutandis as specified in Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Ordinance on Tramway Operations, the accidents equivalent to those specified in Article 1, items (i) through (iii) of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board.
Reference The accidents specified in Article 1, paragraph (1), each items of the Ordinance on Reporting on Tramway Accidents, etc.
item (i): Vehicle collision
item (ii): Vehicle derailment
item (iii): Vehicle fire
item (iv): Level crossing accident
item (v): Accidents against road traffic
item (vi): Other accidents with casualties
item (vii): Heavy property loss without casualties
Railway accidents to be investigated
| Category | Train collision | Train derailment | Train fire | Level crossing accident | Accident against road traffic | Other accidents with casualties | Heavy property loss without casualties |
| Railway (including tramway operated as equivalent to railway) [Notice 1-3] |
All accidents*1 [Ordinance 2-1] |
・Accidents involving the death of a passenger, crew member, etc ・Accidents involving five or more casualties with at least one of the casualties dead ・Fatal accidents that occur at level crossings with no automatic barrier machines ・Accidents found to have likely been caused by a railway worker's error in procedure or due to the malfunction, damage, destruction, etc. of vehicles or railway facilities, which resulted in the death of a person |
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| Accidents that are particularly rare and exceptional [Ordinance 2-3] | |||||||
| Dedicated railway | Accidents that are particularly rare and exceptional [Ordinance 2-4] | ||||||
| Tramway [Ordinance 2-5] |
・Accidents involving the death of a passenger, crew member, etc. ・Accidents involving five or more casualties with at least one of the casualties dead ・Fatal accidents that occur at level crossings with no automatic barrier machines |
------ | |||||
| Accidents that are particularly rare and exceptional [Notice 1-2] | |||||||
*1: Except for derailment accidents of working snowplows. [Ordinance 2-1] However, accidents that
are particularly rare and exceptional are to be investigated. [Ordinance 2-3]
*2: If these categories occur on a tramway, the accident types shall each be renamed to "vehicle
collision," "vehicle derailment," or "vehicle fire."
(Note) "Ordinance" refers to the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan
Transport Safety Board? "Notice" refers to the Public Notice by the Japan Transport Safety Board? and the numbers refer to the Article and paragraph numbers.
Railway serious incidents to be investigated
◎Article 2, paragraph (4), item (ii), of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board (Definition of railway serious incident)
A situation, prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and
Tourism (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety
Board), deemed to bear a risk of accident occurrence.
◎Article 3 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the
Japan Transport Safety Board (A situation prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, stipulated in Article 2, paragraph (4), item (ii) of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board)
1 The situation specified in Article 4, paragraph (1), item (i) of the Ordinance on Report on Railway Accidents, etc. (the Ordinance), wherein another train or vehicle had existed in the zone specified in said item?
[A situation where a train starts moving for the purpose of operating in the relevant block
section before completion of the block procedure: Referred to as "Incorrect management of safety block." (case ①)]
2 The situation specified in Article 4, paragraph (1), item (ii) of the Ordinance, wherein a train
had entered into the route as specified in said item?
[A situation where a signal indicates that a train should proceed even though there is an obstacle
in the route of the train, or the route of the train is obstructed while the signal indicates that the
train should proceed: Referred to as "Incorrect indication of signal." (case ②)]
3 The situation specified in item 3 of paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the Ordinance, wherein another train or vehicle had entered into the protected area of the signal which protects the zone of the route as specified in said item;
[A situation where a train proceeds regardless of a stop signal, thereby obstructing the route of another train or vehicle: Referred to as “Violating red signal.”(case ③)]
4 The situation specified in Article 4, paragraph (1), item (vii) of the Ordinance, which caused malfunction, damage, destruction, etc. bearing particularly serious risk of collision or derailment of or fire in a train?
[A situation that causes a malfunction, etc., of facilities: Referred to as “Dangerous damage in facilities.” (case ⑦)]
5 The situation specified in Article 4, paragraph (1), item (viii) of the Ordinance, which caused malfunction, damage, destruction, etc. bearing particularly serious risk of collision or derailment of or fire in a train?
[A situation that causes a malfunction, etc., of a vehicle: Referred to as "Dangerous trouble in
vehicle." (case ⑧)]
6 The situation specified in Article 4, paragraph (1), items (i) through (x) of the Ordinance which is found to be particularly rare and exceptional? and
[These are referred to as: item (iv) "Main track overrun" (case ④)? item (v) "Violating closure
section for construction" (case ⑤)? item (vi) "Vehicle derailment" (case ⑥)? item (ix) "Heavy leakage of dangerous object" (case ⑨ )? and item (x) "Others," (case ⑩) respectively.]
7 The situations occurred relevant to the tramway as specified by a public notice of the Japan Transport Safety Board as being equivalent to the situations specified in the preceding items.
○Article 2 of the Public Notice of the Japan Transport Safety Board
(A situation prescribed by the public notice stipulated in Article 3, item (vii) of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board (Serious incident on a tramway))
1 The situation specified in Article 2, item (i) of the Ordinance on Reporting on Tramway Accidents, etc. (the Ordinance), wherein another vehicle operating on the main track had existed in the zone specified in said item?
[A situation where a vehicle is operating on the main track for the purpose of operating in the
relevant safety zone before the completion of safety system procedures: Referred to as "Incorrect management of safety block."]
2 The situation specified in Article 2, item (iv) of the Ordinance, which caused malfunction, damage, destruction, etc., bearing a particularly serious risk of collision, derailment of or fire in a vehicle operating on the main track?
[A situation that causes a malfunction, etc., of facilities: Referred to as "Dangerous damage in
facilities."]
3 The situation specified in Article 2, item (v) of the Ordinance, which caused malfunction, damage, destruction, etc., bearing a particularly serious risk of collision, derailment or fire in a vehicle operating on the main track?
[A situation that causes a malfunction, etc., of a vehicle: Referred to as "Dangerous trouble in
vehicle."]
4 The situation specified in Article 2, items (i) through (vii) of the Ordinance which is found to
be particularly rare and exceptional? and
[These are referred to as: item (ii) "Violating red signal?" item (iii) "Main track overrun?" item
(vi) "Heavy leakage of dangerous object?" and item (vii) "Others," respectively.]
5 From among the situations occurring on a tramway operated under the application of the Ministerial Ordinances to provide Technical Regulatory Standards on Railways mutatis mutandis as specified in Article 3, paragraph (1) of the Ordinance on Tramway Operations, the situations equivalent to those specified in Article 2, items (i) through (vi) of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board.
Serious incidents to be investigated
| Category | ・Incorrect management of safety block (Railway) |
・Incorrect indication of signal ・Violating red signal |
Dangerous damage in facilities | Dangerous trouble in vehicle | ・Main track overrun ・Violating closure section for construction (Railway) ・Vehicle derailment (Railway) ・Heavy leakage of dangerous object ・Others | |
| Railway (Including tramway operated as equivalent to railway) [Notice 2-5] |
Certain conditions such as the presence of another train [[Ordinances 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3] |
Risk of collision, derailment or fire [Ordinances 3-4 and 3-5] |
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| Incidents that are particularly rare and exceptional [Ordinance 3-6] | ||||||
| ---- | Incorrect management of safety block | Violating red signal | dangerous damage in facilities | dangerous trouble in vehicle | ・Main track overrun ・Heavy leakage of dangerous object ・others |
|
| Tramway [Ordinance 3-7] |
Certain conditions such as the presence of a vehicle [Notice 2-1] |
------ | Risk of collision, derailment or fire [Notices 2-2 and 2-3] |
------ | ||
| Incidents that are particularly rare and exceptional [Notice 2-4] | ||||||
(Note) "Ordinance" refers to the Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board? "Notice" refers to the Public Notice by the Japan Transport Safety Board? and the numbers refer to the Article and paragraph numbers.