Link: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20050526f2.htm

This article is a little old, but I just found it while researching my next post and thought I'd point it out. Today I was late for work by 10 minutes, and since nobody said anything I figured it was no big deal, but after reading this article I've become worried that there might be a "re-education program" in my future:

Officials of the Japan Confederation of Railway Workers' Unions have accused JR West of putting additional psychological pressure on drivers through "re-education", in which erring train drivers are forced to write journals to reflect on their mistakes and vow never to repeat them if they want to retain their jobs. Under the program, some employees are also ordered to weed fields or stand on station platforms to greet or send off drivers when trains arrive or leave. Such treatment is seen as humiliating for drivers.

Masaki, committed suicide in September 2001 after going through a re-education program because his train was late by 50 seconds.

An obsession with being on time was also seen in the behavior of two JR West drivers who were aboard the derailed train. The drivers, neither of whom was hurt in the accident, left the scene without helping to rescue passengers and headed straight to work.


According to JR West officials, one of the two called his supervisor by cell phone to say he had been on the derailed train. But the supervisor did not instruct him to rescue any of the injured and instead said, "Make sure you're not late."