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70,000 commuters delayed in Japan over mobile phone train row
Up to 70,000 commuters were delayed on rush hour trains in Japan after an argument broke out between two passengers over the use of a mobile phone.
By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo 3:57PM GMT 08 Dec 2010
The quarrel was sparked when two passengers travelling on an early morning train in Chiba prefecture just outside Tokyo started speaking on their mobile phones – an act which is generally frowned upon as impolite on Japanese public transport.
Another passenger reportedly chastised them for their bad manners and asked them to get off at the next station to continue their conversation, according to local media reports.
However, one of the mobile phone users took offence to being confronted by the man – and a heated row broke out on the train between the pair.
When the train pulled into its next station, tempers continued to run high and the emergency alarm was sounded as the argument spilt onto the platform. The two men involved in the row were taken to a local police station and underwent questioning before being released without charge.
The impact on other commuters, however, was not so easily resolved: according to JR East, the row caused delays to 47 trains on the same line, affecting an estimated 70,000 passengers. At the height of the row, as many as 28 trains – which are traditionally renowned for unwavering their punctuality – were delayed by as much as 19 minutes, according to reports.
Manners are regarded as the height of importance when travelling on Japanese public transport, as reflected in countless "manner campaign" posters on trains urging passengers to behave considerately to others. From applying make up and carrying large bags to speaking on mobile phones, a range of activities widely ignored in the transport systems of many other countries are generally frowned upon in Japan.
