2026年1月16日凌晨，日本東京首都圈爆發近年罕見的大規模鐵路停電事故。JR東日本旗下最核心的通勤動脈──山手線與京濱東北線，因電力設備突發故障而全面停駛，不僅打亂清晨列車調度，更在早高峰時段對東京都市機能造成劇烈衝擊，成為當天日本社會高度關注的公共運輸事件。

事故最早發生於凌晨約3點50分，地點位於港區田町站附近。根據JR東日本說明，當時因電力設備出現異常，加上夜間施工結束後輸電未能順利恢復，導致該區段供電中斷。由於田町站正好位於多條重要路線的關鍵節點，停電狀況迅速向外擴散，使得山手線內外環與京濱東北線的列車運行全面癱瘓。

原本已陷入混亂的狀況，在上午7點 5分進一步惡化。田町站軌道區域的電氣設備突然起火，現場冒出濃煙，迫使列車與車站人員立即啟動緊急應變措施。消防單位趕赴現場後，歷時約一個半小時才將火勢完全撲滅。起火原因仍需進一步鑑定，但電力系統的連鎖失效已對復電作業造成嚴重阻礙。

此次事故的影響範圍極為廣泛。山手線全線停運，京濱東北線從大宮至大船之間雙向停駛，東海道線、橫須賀線等多條幹線也受到供電不穩影響，被迫減班或短暫停運。部分列車在行駛途中因突發斷電停在軌道上，至少有兩列京濱東北線列車的乘客被困於車廂內，最終在工作人員引導下，沿著軌道步行撤離至最近車站，場面相當緊張。

在人員安全方面，長時間滯留於密閉車廂與擁擠月台的情況，對部分乘客造成身體不適。官方通報顯示，至少有10名乘客出現呼吸困難、噁心等症狀接受醫療處置，其中5人被送往醫院觀察，所幸均無生命危險。多個大型車站因人潮瞬間暴增而實施入站限制與動線管制，避免發生踩踏事故。

進入早高峰時段後，東京交通壓力全面爆發。新宿、品川、上野、東京站等樞紐車站出現大量通勤族滯留，月台與站外人行空間擠滿等候資訊更新的乘客。由於山手線與京濱東北線是東京通勤最重要的環狀與縱貫路線，停運效應迅速擴散至私鐵與地鐵系統，延誤影響估計波及數十萬人，上班、上學行程全面被打亂。

在搶修方面，JR東日本投入大量人力進行電力系統檢修與測試。山手線與京濱東北線最終於下午約1點10分陸續恢復行駛，但初期班次仍不穩定，列車間隔拉長、局部延誤持續出現。部分支線如東海道線雖較早恢復運行，但因供電狀況反覆，仍出現多次「恢復後再度停駛」的情形，使乘客信心大受影響。

整體而言，這起事故不僅是單一設備故障，更暴露出東京高度集中式軌道交通系統在電力與設備老化、施工管理與風險分散上的潛在脆弱性。當停電、施工後輸電失敗與設備起火接連發生時，即便是被視為全球最準時、最可靠的都市鐵路系統，也難以避免對城市運作造成巨大衝擊。此次事件勢必促使日本社會重新檢視首都圈鐵路基礎設施的更新節奏與危機應變能力。

In the early hours of January 16, 2026, a rare large-scale railway disruption occurred in the Tokyo metropolitan area. JR East’s two most critical commuter lines—the Yamanote Line and the Keihin-Tohoku Line—were forced to suspend operations entirely due to a sudden power equipment failure. What began as an overnight technical problem escalated into a major transportation crisis during the morning rush hour, severely impacting the daily functioning of the capital and drawing widespread public attention across Japan.

The incident first emerged at around 3:50 a.m. near Tamachi Station in Minato Ward. According to JR East, an electrical malfunction occurred in the power supply facilities, compounded by a failure to restore transmission after overnight maintenance work. Because Tamachi Station sits at a key junction serving multiple major routes, the power outage quickly spread, paralyzing both the inner and outer loops of the Yamanote Line as well as the Keihin-Tohoku Line.

The situation deteriorated further at approximately 7:55 a.m., when an electrical facility in the track area at Tamachi Station caught fire, producing smoke and forcing emergency safety measures. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, and it took about an hour and a half to fully extinguish the blaze. While the exact cause of the fire remained under investigation, the cascading failure of the electrical system significantly complicated restoration efforts.

The disruption affected a wide area of Tokyo’s rail network. The Yamanote Line was completely shut down, and the Keihin-Tohoku Line was suspended in both directions between Omiya and Ofuna. Other major trunk lines, including the Tokaido Line and Yokosuka Line, also experienced service interruptions or reduced operations due to unstable power supply. Several trains lost power while en route, and at least two Keihin-Tohoku Line trains were stranded between stations. Passengers were ultimately guided to evacuate on foot along the tracks to the nearest station, creating tense and unusual scenes.

From a public safety perspective, prolonged confinement in crowded train cars and congested platforms caused physical distress for some passengers. Official reports indicated that at least ten people received medical attention for symptoms such as breathing difficulties and nausea, with five transported to hospitals for further observation. Fortunately, no life-threatening injuries were reported. To prevent secondary accidents such as stampedes, crowd control measures were implemented at multiple major stations.

As the morning rush hour progressed, transportation pressure across Tokyo intensified dramatically. Major hubs such as Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Ueno, and Tokyo Station were overwhelmed by stranded commuters waiting for updates. Because the Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tohoku Line serve as the backbone of Tokyo’s commuter network, the suspension rapidly spilled over into private railways and subway systems. Delays were estimated to have affected hundreds of thousands of commuters, disrupting work and school schedules on a massive scale.

In response, JR East mobilized large-scale repair teams to inspect and stabilize the electrical infrastructure. Service on the Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tohoku Line gradually resumed at around 1:10 p.m., though operations remained unstable initially, with extended intervals and lingering delays. Some lines, such as the Tokaido Line, resumed earlier, but repeated cycles of partial restoration followed by renewed suspensions further eroded passenger confidence.

Overall, this incident was not merely an isolated equipment failure but a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in Tokyo’s highly centralized rail transportation system. When power outages, post-maintenance transmission failures, and equipment fires occur in succession, even one of the world’s most punctual and reliable urban rail networks can suffer severe disruption. The event is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of infrastructure renewal, risk diversification, and crisis response capabilities within Tokyo’s metropolitan rail system.