Japan Plans to Introduce Driverless Bullet Trains by 2030s

East Japan Railway (JR East) has announced plans to introduce driverless Shinkansen bullet trains by the mid-2030s, as part of efforts to address labor shortages and innovate railway technology amid Japan’s demographic crisis.

The first step will be introducing semi-automated trains, where many tasks are controlled automatically but a driver remains in the cab, on parts of the Joetsu Shinkansen line starting in 2028. By 2029, JR East aims to trial fully driverless trains on a test track before expanding the technology between Tokyo and Niigata.

This initiative comes as Japan faces a shrinking and aging population, contributing to worker shortages across sectors. The Shinkansen trains on the Joetsu route currently reach speeds of up to 275 km/h, with faster trains operating on other lines.