JR Joban Line, part of which has been suspended since the earthquake, resumed operation on all lines from March 12:46 on January 17

The JR Joban Line, which has been suspended for some sections since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, will resume full-line operation on March 14.

JR East held a press conference in Sendai City on the 17th, and announced that the Joban Line would resume operation on March 14 after the entire line.

The Joban Line has been suspended for approximately 20 kilometers through the difficult-to-return zone between Fukushima Prefecture's Tomioka Station and Namie Station due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Along with the release of evacuation orders, decontamination around railway tracks and restoration work on bridges collapsed by the earthquake progressed, and preparations were undertaken from last month, such as conducting a trial run to confirm safety.

With the reopening of all lines in March, the limited express train “Hitachi” connecting Tokyo and Sendai will be reopened three times a day.

If the Joban Line resumes on all lines, all JR lines damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident will be restored.

"We felt relieved from the people along the railroad, so I am relieved that we can finally resume. The mission will be to increase the number of people who can interact in the affected areas. We want to create an environment that is easy to use. "

Welcome voice from Iwaki City

Regarding the resumption of the JR Joban Line on March 14th, some people welcomed the connection with Sendai Station in front of Iwaki Station in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture.

A man in his 60s said, "I am delighted that the whole line has been awaited by everyone in the area.

A woman in her 20s said, "I think it would be convenient to restart the entire line. I think it would be convenient because I had never been to Sendai by train."

A woman in her 30s said, "I've never been to Sendai, so I want to use it when I go on a trip."