In the incident, a train overran Jinnoharu Station on the Kagoshima Line. JR Kyushu did not make the incident public at first, but it later changed its stance and revealed that the train had overrun the station by about 150 meters.

Following the fatal April 25 derailment disaster in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, JR Kyushu decided to make incidents in which trains overran stations public, and by May it had announced four incidents, including one at Onojo Station on the Kagoshima Line.

On June 10 the railway company also announced that a train had overrun Tenpaizan Station in Fukuoka Prefecture by 11 meters.

However, with the incident at Jinnoharu Station, JR Kyushu officials made a turnabout and decided not to make the incident public, saying reports would put pressure on JR Kyushu drivers.

But soon afterwards, the railway operator went back to its policy of announcing overrun incidents. The move was intended to prevent passengers from feeling uneasy, since several media organizations had reported the Jinnoharu Station incident.

From the beginning of last year up until the April 25 derailment disaster, 34 overrun incidents occurred on lines under JR Kyushu's control, but none of them were announced. JR Kyushu officials said the company planned to publicly announce overrun incidents in the future.

"We were brought to realize anew that society is interested in this. We want to announce the incidents in the future," a company representative said. (Mainichi)