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First, this DE10 rides up on ice and derails in Akita. While not doubting Japan's well maintained and well operated railways, I have difficulty believing that this has never happened before. Maybe it lost its balance because the digits in its road number aren't on straight, it's really driving me nuts. This is the Akita Rinkai Railway, and while trying to figure out where the hell it actually is (Google Map requires you to be significantly zoomed in to show it), I found that they are unfortunately ending operations in March. At least this guy has an excuse for driving something wildly off course. Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7531443,140.0628819,204m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en Then I see this video about a Prius getting onto the tracks in front of a 223 series in Yasu, Shiga at this crossing: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.0835718,136.0449003,314m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en Seems like entering a gated-off area and interfering with operations could have been prevented, you know? Next, there are these inept guys driving a tank truck when its brakes are blown off or something, which naturally times it perfectly to collide with a 183 series on Azusa service. The authorities decide to use a Mitsubishi Montero to try to slow it down. Seems like, I don't know, bad governance or something. Fortunately there's this cool shinkansen-steamer thing at Okama Station. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7115082,141.0718867,425m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

MBS news report of the 50th anniversary of the start of special rapid service trains in the Kansai region. Sun TV report of same, plus information on A seat service, headmark:

JR West presses on with adding fall preventers to various models, namely 221, 223, and 225 series. I'd be interested to know how long it will take to fit the whole fleet. My impression is that it's slow going, but I'm not sure. 227 and later subseries 521s have them from the factory, presumably 323 series will too. December 8 news item about 221 series: http://railf.jp/news/2015/12/10/170000.html December 4 news item about 225 series: http://railf.jp/news/2015/12/05/204500.html July 31 news item about 223-0 series: http://railf.jp/news/2015/08/01/205000.html July 9 news item about 223-6000 series: http://railf.jp/news/2015/07/11/210000.html 223-2000 at Shin-Osaka: 221 out of service on its way back to Kansai from Shimonoseki: