Why Japanese Trains Are Always on Time

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1. 01Why Japanese Trains Are Always on Time

   Hello, everyone. If you have ridden a train in Japan, you probably noticed something: it arrives exactly on time. Today, I'll explain why Japanese trains are so punctual.

   大家好。如果你在日本坐過火車，你大概會注意到一件事：火車總是準時到站。今天，我來解釋一下為什麼日本的火車這麼準時。

2. 02How On Time Are They?

   For example, in fiscal 2016, trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen were only twenty-four seconds late on average, even including delays from heavy rain and earthquakes. In big cities, many trains come every few minutes, and they still stay on schedule.

   比如，在2016財年，東海道新幹線的列車平均只晚點二十四秒，這還包括了暴雨和地震造成的延誤。在大城市，很多列車每隔幾分鐘就來一趟，卻仍然能按時刻表執行。

   Source: JR Central data for fiscal 2016, reported in Nippon.com, "The Tōkaidō Shinkansen's World-Class Safety, Reliability, and Frequency"

3. 03A Famous Apology

   Being on time is so important that, in 2017, a train company apologized because a train left twenty seconds early. The story surprised people all over the world.

   準時被看得非常重要。2017年，一家鐵路公司因為一趟列車提前二十秒發車而公開道歉。這件事讓全世界的人都感到很驚訝。

   Source: Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company (Tsukuba Express), apology in November 2017

4. 04Reason 1: Careful Planning

   The first reason is careful planning. Timetables are planned in great detail, and companies build in a little extra time for small problems.

   第一個原因是周密的計劃。時刻表規劃得非常詳細，而且公司會預留一點額外的時間，用來應對小問題。

5. 05Reason 2: Skilled Staff

   The second reason is skilled staff. Train drivers go through long training, and many staff use a method called pointing and calling: they point at a signal and say it out loud to avoid mistakes.

   第二個原因是工作人員技術熟練。列車司機要接受很長時間的培訓，而且很多工作人員會使用一種叫「指差確認」的方法：他們用手指著訊號，並大聲說出來，以避免出錯。

6. 06Reason 3: A Culture of Being on Time

   The third reason is culture. In Japan, many people see being on time as a way of respecting others. Passengers expect trains to be punctual, so companies work hard to meet that expectation.

   第三個原因是文化。在日本，很多人把守時看作是尊重別人的一種方式。乘客希望列車準時，所以公司會努力達到這個期待。

7. 07Conclusion

   To sum up, Japanese trains are on time because of careful planning, skilled staff, and a strong culture of punctuality. Next time you ride one, check your watch! Thank you.

   總結一下，日本的火車之所以準時，是因為周密的計劃、熟練的工作人員，以及重視守時的文化。下次你坐日本的火車時，看看你的手錶吧！謝謝大家。