Mind the doors: Japan bullet train runs with door open at 280 kph with 340 passengers on board

The accident, due to human error, was a rare mishap for the Japanese “Shinkansen” bullet train which has a world-famous safety and punctuality record.

A Japanese bullet train hurtling along at 280 kilometres (174 miles) per hour ran for nearly a minute with one of its doors completely open on Wednesday, its operator said.

A Kyushu Railway Co. 800 series Shinkansen bullet train arrives at Kurume Station in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. (Bloomberg file photo for representation)

The accident, due to human error, was a rare mishap for the Japanese “Shinkansen” bullet train which has a world-famous safety and punctuality record.

The Tokyo-bound Hayabusa No. 46 train screeched to an emergency stop in a tunnel shortly after leaving Sendai station in northeastern Japan when the conductor saw a warning light that the door of the ninth carriage was open, East Japan Railway said.

“The conductor checked the carriage and found that the door was completely open,” a company spokesman told AFP.

“Some 340 passengers were on board but no one was injured,” he said, adding that the train resumed its journey after a check-up.

“We sincerely apologise for the incident,” he said, adding that the company will take steps to prevent it happening again.

Japan is a pioneer in high-speed rail networks, hailed for their punctuality and safety measures, including the emergency stop system, which can automatically slow trains down before a major earthquake strikes.