Survivors and relatives of the victims of a 2005 train derailment that killed 107 people in western Japan held a memorial ceremony Monday on the 17th anniversary of the accident.
The ceremony in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, hosted by West Japan Railway Co. was held after being canceled for two consecutive years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa and the other participants observed a moment of silence in front of a condominium building into which the train crashed at 9:18 a.m., killing 106 passengers and the driver, and injuring 562.
"We will inscribe in our hearts the grief and suffering of the bereaved families and those who were injured. We will steadily promote efforts to improve safety," Hasegawa said at the ceremony held at the site of the fatal accident.
A memorial facility and monument were built at the accident site by JR West in 2018 to remember those who lost their lives.
The ceremony was attended by 244 people, fewer than previous events, as it was scaled down to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections.
On April 25, 2005, a rush-hour commuter train on the JR Fukuchiyama Line derailed and crashed into the condominium building after entering a curved section of track while traveling far in excess of the maximum permitted speed.
JR West plans to build another facility in neighboring Osaka Prefecture in 2024 to preserve train cars involved in the accident and the belongings of the dead.
