The Japanese train company that issued a formal apology for having one of its trains run 20 seconds ahead of schedule is surprised its contrition has been globally appreciated.

Not the first time apologising

The train firm said it was “surprised” by the attention the story was getting: “We have issued similar apologies for trains that departed earlier than scheduled before.”

The highly apologetic and very modest train company is the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company. It is the operator of a private railway firm that serves the Tokyo suburbs.

Passengers boarding Tuesday’s 9.44.40am Tsukuba Express from Minami Nagareyama station, just north of Tokyo, had arrived on time but pulled away from the platform at 9.44.20am.

The passengers were unaware anything was amiss.

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Procedure not followed

The firm said the error, if it could even be called that, occurred as the train’s conductor had not properly checked the train’s timetable, adding that the crew had been instructed to strictly follow procedure to prevent a recurrence.

A spokesman said the apology was issued because strict safety procedures were not followed.

“What matters is not the 20 seconds... The point is that our formal procedure should be this: A sound rings 15 seconds before the departure, followed by an announcement asking for caution due to the closing doors, and then the doors shut,” he said.

The Tsukuba Express carries 130 million passengers a year between Akihabara in Tokyo and Tsukuba in Ibaraki prefecture, a journey of about 45 minutes.

Downside to efficiency

However, the the quest for punctuality in Japan’s super-efficient rail service can end in tragedy.

In 2005, more than 100 people died and hundreds more were injured when a packed commuter train crashed into a flat complex in western Japan.

The derailment occurred after the driver tried making up for a 90-second delay by using excessive speed.

Rail unions blamed the crash on a culture of fear. Employees were subjected to humiliating punishments for committing minor errors, such as arriving seconds late or slightly overrunning platforms.

The insane apology issued: