A power outage struck multiple JR East lines in Tokyo on Friday morning, January 16, suspending services on the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines. JR East anticipates resumption around 1 p.m. A fire at Tamachi Station may be linked to the incident.
On the morning of January 16, a power outage affected major JR East lines in Tokyo, suspending the inner and outer loops of the Yamanote Line, the entire Keihin-Tohoku Line, and the section between Tokyo and Shinagawa stations on the Tokaido Line. As of 9:50 a.m., services remained halted, with JR East expecting resumption by 1 p.m.
The outage was discovered around 3:50 a.m. between Shimbashi and Shinagawa stations during preparations for the first trains. Media reports indicate a fire broke out at Tamachi Station around 8 a.m., where firefighters found a burned transformer. Authorities are investigating whether the fire is connected to the outage.
The Tokaido Line resumed after a brief suspension. Delays rippled through other JR lines, prompting restrictions on platform entry at major stations to manage crowds shifting to alternative routes. No injuries have been reported.
Such disruptions underscore the vulnerability of Tokyo's rail network to power issues. JR East has not disclosed the exact cause but is probing the incident, with further details expected soon.
