Train derails in Hyogo prefecture killing at least 49 people

[Mike Cash]

Every time I see the head of JR West on television I can't help but think that 20 or 30 years ago he would have taken a dive off a tall building by now. Or at least resigned.

Not that I'm saying I think he should jump, just that the culture of Japanese corporate management has certainly entered a new era.

[Elizabeth]

Every time I see the head of JR West on television I can't help but think that 20 or 30 years ago he would have taken a dive off a tall building by now. Or at least resigned.

Not that I'm saying I think he should jump, just that the culture of Japanese corporate management has certainly entered a new era.

As the scandals and negligence mount up they won't be able to continue making excuses like not grasping the situation or poor communication reports from employees at the site of the crash.

Although I'm not sure what his role if any in this was, tragically enough there has already been a suicide (兵庫労働局長が首つり自殺), the head of the Hyougo Bureau of Labor hung himself.

[Pachipro]

I heard the other day that news has come out that two other train drivers were catching a ride to work on the train which derailed. One was in car #4 and the other was in car #6. Neither was injured.

The reason they were in the news was that rather than assisting passengers on the wrecked train, they both left the scene and walked on to the next station and went to work.

I missed that. Thanks. That is so unfu*%ing believable, but so like the Japanese to follow unquestionably the orders of their superiors and the rules of the company no matter what. Had they stayed behind and assisted they would probably be national heroes. How could they even live with themselves after what they did? I hope they, and JR West get smeared all to hell in the papers and on the news. I don't know why it pisses me off being over here in the US, but it does.