JR East: Shinkansen train power supply systems had damaged chips
East Japan Railway says some of its newest Shinkansen trains that suffered a string of problems last week were found to have damaged semiconductor chips in their electricity supply systems.
On June 17, four Yamagata Shinkansen E8 series trains running in Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures experienced problems caused by power supply malfunctions.
Each train has two power supply system units. JR East and the system's maker found that six of the eight units were faulty and had damaged semiconductor parts.
JR East said chip damage was also reported on June 16 and May 21. No cause has been determined.
Such chips may suffer damage when power voltage and current become too high and components get too hot. JR East says it will keep investigating the problem, including whether rising air temperature was a factor.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Toyota sales hit third monthly record on Japan and U.S. demand
Toyota's sales reached a third straight monthly record in May on strong demand for hybrid vehicles in the United States, Japan and China, even as global automakers braced for big losses triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported cars. Toyota's global sales — including subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino — reached 955,532 vehicles last month, up 8% from a year earlier, the company said Friday. Worldwide production came in at 906,984 units. Toyota and its Lexus brand vehicle sales rose more than 4% in Japan, 7% in China and 11% in North America. The world's biggest carmaker will raise the prices next month of some vehicles it sells in the U.S. by more than $200, as part of a regular revision based on factors that include market conditions and competition, a spokesperson said last week. The move came after Mitsubishi Motors announced it was hiking U.S. prices for three models. Major automakers have been scrambling to minimize the fallout of the trade war between the U.S. and China. Japan's biggest carmakers, which rely heavily on the U.S. market, are facing billions in losses should Tokyo's negotiations with the White House fail to lower tariff levels. Toyota said in May that it was expecting a ¥180 billion ($1.2 billion) hit from tariffs in April and May alone. Nissan and Honda both forecast a $3 billion impact, while Subaru and Mazda withheld their annual profit guidance for the fiscal year ending March 2026. Honda's global sales were down 4% in May to 298,167 units, while production fell 6%, the company said Friday. Nissan sold 256,159 units last month, a 6% drop from last year, as output fell almost 17% to 229,645 units. Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said Thursday that the nation can't accept Trump's 25% auto tariffs. Japanese automakers produce roughly 3.3 million cars annually in the U.S., Akazawa said, which is much more than the 1.37 million they ship there. Earlier this month, Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda was reappointed with 97% of voted shares during the company's annual general meeting. After a three-year slump in investor support, the rebound signaled a tacit approval of the carmaker's steady performance through a particularly tumultuous period for the global automobile industry.
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Nikkei hits 40,000 level as trade hopes drive Japan stock rally
Japanese shares rose for a fourth day on trade optimism after the United States and China signed a deal and the White House hinted U.S. President Donald Trump may soften his July tariff deadline. The broader Topix Index rose 1.1% to 2,836.30 as of 11 a.m. on Friday in Tokyo, its highest intraday level since July. The blue-chip 225-issue Nikkei average climbed 1.5% to 40,171.01 — the first time it has exceeded 40,000 since January. Exporters such as carmakers were among the biggest contributors to gains, with Toyota, Honda and Nissan all rising more than 2.5% at one point. Chip names like Tokyo Electron were also strong. "There are signs of progress on the trade front, and some investors are expecting an extension of the deadline for reciprocal tariffs,' said Yutaka Miura, a senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities. The White House press secretary said on Thursday that Trump's July 9 trade deal deadline is "not critical.' "This is all positive for stocks, and drove U.S. shares higher Thursday, prompting buying across the Topix and Nikkei indexes,' Miura said. The Nikkei's rise beyond the 40,000 level is further boosting sentiment, with large-cap names like autos among the main beneficiaries, he added. Heightened expectations of a U.S. rate cut are also fueling upward momentum, said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management. The upbeat sentiment is palpable in markets across the region, with the MSCI's Asia index climbing to a four-year high. "The Middle East conflict has calmed, trade deals appear to be getting done and we have increased optimism of Fed rate cuts,' said Nick Twidale, chief analyst at AT Global Markets. "That's pushing through to global markets.'
NHK
2 days ago
- NHK
Nikkei 225 recovers 40,000 level as Nasdaq closes at yearly high
Tokyo's benchmark stock index climbed above the 40,000 mark for the first time in about five months in Friday morning trading. The jump followed gains on Wall Street overnight, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq closing at a yearly high. The Nikkei 225 rose sharply at the opening on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, led by semiconductor-related shares. It gained more than 600 points, or 1.5 percent, at one stage. In New York, the Nasdaq closed above 20,000 on Thursday to set a new high for 2025. The benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average rose almost 1 percent. The US market confidence came from expectations trade tariff deadlines may be extended. Media reports saying President Donald Trump may nominate a successor to Fed chair Jerome Powell earlier than usual also fueled speculation about cuts in interest rates.
