West Japan Railway Co. argued Thursday that its controversial crew "re-education" program was necessary and useful, challenging a draft government report that indicated the program contributed to the fatal derailment of an express train in April 2005 that killed 106 passengers and the motorman.
JR West Vice President Kazuoki Maruo made the arguduring a hearing on the accident organized by the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission, an investigative body under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Maruo, who concurrently heads JR West's rail operations, renewed an apology over the accident but called the draft report wrong in partially attributing the accident to the re-education program for drivers and conductors who make mistakes on the job.
Train crew members, however, have called the program harassment, as those in it sometimes are forced to clean station platforms and pick up trash.
Maruo cited the Osaka High Court's rejection last November 2006 of a damages suit filed against JR West by relatives of a train driver who committed suicide in 2001 under psychological pressure from the re-education program, which the plaintiffs say was punitive and bullying in nature.
The high court said in the decision that many of JR West's train drivers see the program as appropriate, rejecting the plaintiffs' argument that it was unfair.
At the hearing, the chairman of the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission, Junzo Sato, said he "felt strange to hear the witness cite a court decision."
He urged Maruo to withdraw the argument that the court fully accepted JR West's contention on the program's validity.