TOKYO - Shinkansen bullet train services in north-eastern Japan resumed on March 26 after a more than eight-hour stoppage caused by debris on an overhead wire and strong winds, affecting around 76,500 passengers, the train operator said.
At around 9.15am (8.15am Singapore time), a 100m-long plastic string was detected attached to a wire at JR Fukushima Station, disrupting bullet train operations between Tokyo and Sendai in the north-eastern prefecture of Miyagi, East Japan Railway said.
As conditions intensified and an anemometer in the prefecture registered the maximum wind speed allowed under regulations, JR East extended the suspension area northward at around 10.30am.
The services resumed shortly after 6pm.
Recently, Shinkansen services in Japan, known for their punctuality and reliability, have frequently been delayed or halted.
Earlier in March, a bullet train connecting Tokyo to north-eastern Japan [made an emergency stop after two cars decoupled](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-shinkansen-lines-suspended-after-train-cars-decouple-on-tokyo-tracks), causing a suspension of services. A similar incident also took place in September.
JR East is the only operator that couples different trains for Shinkansen services. KYODO NEWS
Join [ST's Telegram channel](https://t.me/TheStraitsTimes) and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.