East Japan Railway is investigating the decoupling of two Shinkansen bullet trains running in Tokyo on Thursday morning. The linked Hayabusa and Komachi trains on the Tohoku Shinkansen line became separated at around 11:30 a.m. while traveling between Ueno and Omiya stations in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture. The decoupling caused an automatic brake to activate and the trains came to a stop on the tracks. Passengers going to Akita will have to change trains at Morioka Station, and those to Yamagata at Fukushima Station. The government’s Transport Safety Board says it will investigate the case as a serious incident that could have led to a major accident. (Ref.NHK WORLD-JAPAN)

Retail giant Seven & i Holdings has announced it will replace its president Isaka Ryuichi with an outside director. Stephen Dacus will be the company’s first non-Japanese president after he takes the job following a shareholders meeting in May. Isaka said: “Our group has grown steadily, but we are aware that we have entered a phase where we need different measures to achieve growth in the future. As a result of a strict process, we have decided that Stephen Dacus is the most suitable person to take the helm of the company group from this point on.” Dacus said: “We are now at a time of change and the opportunity to take this great foundation that Isaka-san and his team and others have created and take that to the next level is an opportunity that is just too good to walk away from. I’m honored to have been chosen by the board, and I look forward to working with the board, our franchisees and others throughout the company to make this an even better company.” The firm approved the reshuffle at a board meeting on Thursday. It also revealed plans to boost its value. (Ref.NHK WORLD-JAPAN)