Power Outage Halts Tokyo Train Lines During Morning Rush

Passengers disembark a train and walking on the tracks in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Jan. 16.Photographer: Naruhiro Tanaka/The Yomiuri Shimbun/AP

Provide news feedback or report an error

January 16, 2026 at 1:03 AM UTC

Major train lines across Tokyo were out of service due to a power outage during the morning rush hour on Friday, forcing commuters coming into work to take detours or work from home.

The Yamanote line — which passes through Shinjuku, the world’s busiest station — was still halted as of 10:00 a.m. local time, according to operator East Japan Railway Co. The company said it expects to resume service around 1:00 p.m.