Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains could be operating without drivers by the mid-2030s, according to East Japan Railway (JR East). The move is driven in part by the country’s demographic crisis and labor shortages.

JR East announced plans to first introduce partially automated trains in 2028, where drivers will still be present in the cab to oversee operations. By 2029, the company aims to trial fully driverless trains on a test track, with the goal of deploying them on the Joetsu Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Niigata by the mid-2030s.

JR East’s statement highlighted that driverless trains would create a more efficient and sustainable railway system, adapting to Japan's declining population and changing work dynamics.

The main drive behind the plan, however, "is the need to constantly innovate railway technology, and that could in turn help address labour shortage and other issues", a JR East spokesman told AFP on Wednesday (11 September).

However, the primary motivation for the project is continuous innovation in railway technology, which could help address the country's labor shortages, according to a company spokesperson.

Currently, Shinkansen trains on the Joetsu line reach speeds of up to 275 kilometers per hour (170 miles per hour), with other lines running at speeds of 300 km/h or more. Japan, which has the world’s second-oldest population, is already grappling with worker shortages in various industries.
 

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