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| Apology after Japanese train departs 20 seconds early | Apology after Japanese train departs 20 seconds early |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A rail company in Japan has apologised after one of its trains departed 20 seconds early. | A rail company in Japan has apologised after one of its trains departed 20 seconds early. |
| Management on the Tsukuba Express line between Tokyo and the city of Tsukuba say they "sincerely apologise for the inconvenience" caused. | Management on the Tsukuba Express line between Tokyo and the city of Tsukuba say they "sincerely apologise for the inconvenience" caused. |
| In a statement, the company said the train had been scheduled to leave at 9:44:40 local time but left at 9:44:20. | In a statement, the company said the train had been scheduled to leave at 9:44:40 local time but left at 9:44:20. |
| Many social media users reacted to the company's apology with surprise. | Many social media users reacted to the company's apology with surprise. |
| The mistake happened because staff had not checked the timetable, the company statement said. | The mistake happened because staff had not checked the timetable, the company statement said. |
| "The crew did not sufficiently check the departure time and performed the departure operation," it said. | "The crew did not sufficiently check the departure time and performed the departure operation," it said. |
| It added that no customers had complained about the early departure from Minami Nagareyama Station, which is just north of Tokyo. | It added that no customers had complained about the early departure from Minami Nagareyama Station, which is just north of Tokyo. |
| The Tsukuba Express line takes passengers from Akihabara in eastern Tokyo to Tsukuba in about 45 minutes. | The Tsukuba Express line takes passengers from Akihabara in eastern Tokyo to Tsukuba in about 45 minutes. |
| It is rare for trains in Japan, which has one of the world's most reliable railways, to depart at a different time to the one scheduled. | It is rare for trains in Japan, which has one of the world's most reliable railways, to depart at a different time to the one scheduled. |
| The country's Tokaido line, which runs from Tokyo to the city of Kobe, is by far the world's busiest and carries nearly 150 million passengers a year. |