Travellers on London Transport can use a Smart Card called Oyster.
In Japan you can also buy goods and other services with your rail/bus Smart Card. The three main railway groups – JR East (Suica card), JR Tokai (Toica Card) an JR West (Icoca Card) said Monday that they have agreed to tie up on electronic money services using their respective smart cards. This means that goods may now be purchased with your, for instance, Suica Card in shops owned by JR West and so on.
Full report HERE
Just a few details pertaining to this story which I’ve been following over the past month or so:
Prosecutors decided Friday not to file criminal charges against three former presidents of West Japan Railway Co. over a 2005 fatal train derailment in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, despite the recommendation of the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution that they be indicted.
SOURCE
A more detailed account of this story can be found HERE
A third-party investigation into JR West’s handling of an inquiry into the 2005 Amagasaki rail crash has heavily criticised the rail company’s attempt to surpress damaging information – information which concluded the crash could have been prevented had JR West trains been fitted with an automatic train-stop system.
The third-party panel concluded:
“The company prioritized internal interests and took excessive action to protect itself. This tendency led to the present consequences.”
The investigation also brings to light a culture of cronyism and an Old Boys Network stretching back to the days of Japan National Railways. This led to a conflict of interest between JR West and the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission.
…familylike ties among former JNR officials were especially strong in the groups…daily contact among officials in the same groups led to collusive relations between investigators and those being investigated, which finally resulted in the information leakage.
Full story HERE
JR West yesterday ‘effectively dismissed‘ two top execs for their inappropriate handling of an enquiry into the the 2005 Amagasaki rail crash.
Although the departures of board member and former President Masao Yamazaki and current Vice President Ryuichiro Tsuchiya were termed resignations, they are seen as effective dismissals by JR West.
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05/01/2010 10:29 | 
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