Toyko Train Leaves 20 Seconds Early, Company Apologizes: NPR

[Stuart G]

no, I am not making this up....hit the link

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/16/564558279/after-tokyo-commuter-train-leaves-20-seconds-early-company-apologizes
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Passengers on a morning train on the Tokyo region's Tsukuba Express line might not have noticed anything was amiss Tuesday. But when their train left Minami-Nagareyama station, it did so 20 seconds ahead of schedule — and when the company noticed, it issued an apology to customers.

The train was traveling northbound on the line that connects Tokyo's Akihabara station with Tsukuba to the northeast — a trip that takes less than an hour. After passengers had boarded, the crew didn't check the time, resulting in the slightly early departure "around" 9:44 a.m., the company said.

The train had arrived at the station on time, at 40 seconds past 9:43 a.m. It was supposed to leave one minute later, at 9:44:40 — but instead, it left at 9:44:20.

"We deeply apologize for the severe inconvenience imposed upon our customers," the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company said, in a translation by Sora News 24.

In its online posting, the rail company says it didn't receive any complaints from passengers over the 20-second discrepancy. It added that the train's crew has been spoken to and taught to prevent recurrences.

On the bright side, anyone who missed the 9:44 a.m. Tsukuba Express train because of the 20-second premature departure would have had to wait just four minutes for the next northbound train, according to the line's timetable. (rest of article at link)
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comment from Stuart........I have rode those trains in Tokyo. The Japanese are fanatical about being on time, and on time is exactly on time. On some trains, you can watch the train driver and I did. (I love trains since I was a kid) You can see the train driver keeping very close watch on the time to arrive, stay and leave. The trains operate quietly and swiftly. Also, I noticed that the trains I rode in were very clean. This story just had to be shared in the lounge..and it did give me a smile, knowing it is not a fake, yes, this is the truth.

[TlalocW]

1. Second press release

"Our behavior has brought shame on us all at the Tsukuba Express. And there is only one remedy. Thank you."

Japanese evening news later that day, "Everyone associated with Tsukuba Express commits ritual seppuku. More on this story after these commercials."

TlalocW

[Stuart G]

2. New word...seppuku....definition below

Seppuku, sometimes metathesized as harakiri which is a native Japanese kun reading,is a form of Japanese[ ritual suicide by disembowelment. .....It was originally reserved for samurai.

[Yonnie3]

3. I too rode trains in Japan. In the Kyoto area in the late 90s.

I knew I was on the right train because it always left at the exact time from the same platform. It never changed.

There were three kinds of trains. A local (stopped at each station), an intermediate, and an express that stopped at approximately every tenth station. You got on any train going your way and then jumped out at any appropriate station to get on a faster train.

As the local train sat at the station letting the intermediate or express train pass, the entire crew got out of the local and saluted the express train crew.

The schoolgirls in uniform amused me as they took glances at the foreigner from the corner of their eyes, never making eye contact. I also noted that they were pretending they weren't chewing gum. I can do that corner of the eye glance also.

I completely believe the apology.